


The Sharingan's Voice

by ystv



Category: Naruto
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Anger, Canon-Typical Violence, Character Development, Friendship, Gen, Identity Reveal, Loneliness, Mourning, Slavery, Subjugation, antisocial, keep people at distance
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-08-25
Updated: 2020-04-19
Packaged: 2020-09-26 12:57:16
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 14
Words: 125,971
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/20390074
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ystv/pseuds/ystv
Summary: A take on the premise of what would have happened if Itachi had taken Sasuke with him after the Massacre, combined with a component of slavery existing in the Narutoverse:Forcefully separated, Sasuke finds himself wishing back the time when he thought he'd hated Itachi, if it just meant to know if his brother was still alive. Being faced with slavery and having to interact with people all while keeping his identity secret, slipping up is all too easy. That he could possibly gain a friend or two out of this hasn't even crossed his mind.Suspended from her job at the hospital, Sakura has to deal with an unusual mission. Despite not understanding why, she does as ordered and gets a slave situated in her home, just like the loyal shinobi she is. Keeping everyone at distance, she tries to live on, but with another person living in her apartment, it's only a matter of time until confrontation happens.





	1. To Seal a Deal

**Chapter 1 To Seal a Deal**

The annoying sound of a guard’s rod pulled along the bars was reaching his ears just as the vibrations reached his back directly through the metal. He’d been leaning against the stanchions in his usual corner. Were they already handing out meals or just patrolling the hallway? They’d probably skip him again, so why think about it? As if he’d ever cared for their disgusting slob.

There wasn’t much of light carried to the end of the corridor where his cell was situated. He was used to the darkness, adjusted to the hard ground and cold steel bars that would dig into his body whenever he leaned against them. The lack of direct neighbors didn’t bother him, as he wasn’t of the social kind anyway and with his reputation, the guards rather wouldn’t risk it. Still, a few doors down the hallway he could hear the other inmates conversing. There were no walls to hold back the noise and whatever wasn’t drowned out by the suckish ventilation system, carried over through the air. His hearing was good, had even improved since he’d been captured, but he still preferred the somewhat quiet of the night. There was nothing of interest in the conversations he could listen to: They usually were all pretty much something along the lines of what he’d already heard and he couldn’t care less. 

It was one day like any other. Down in this shit hole time lost its meaning. Wandering thoughts, that was all he had and was nowadays. Like other detainees having the same conversations repeated, his mind walked the same frayed lines of thought. He was trapped in his memories. Like a tiger pacing circles in a cage, they returned him to the same shitty thoughts like an echo would. The overlapping sound of his thoughts would play games with him, send him chasing for figments of thought that had graced him without staying, leading back to more solid concepts after having been utterly lost. And so his thoughts returned to the same shitty things, over and over again... only that he had never voiced them.

Some were commemorated more than others, seemed more abiding. But to keep the variety up, even little details of fleeting memories had gained in importance. He sometimes visualized random scenes from his past life, back before they’d fled, back when he’d still called Konoha home and still had family. Like now, he recalled the unnamed boy on the swing in front of the academy grounds. He felt a connection to him and his misery. That boy had been alone, too. He hadn’t understood that loneliness back then, but now he did, more than ever. 

Absentmindedly he was weaving hand seals to pass the time. They were slick but only half-hearted gestures. They had banned his chakra with the wretched collar around his neck, thus all practice was mainly limited to his mind. Besides lacking space to properly move into fighting stances, he also often lacked the energy to exercise over a longer period of time nowadays. His body had started to show signs of starvation a while ago, which wasn’t surprising by the minimal amount of food he was getting. But he knew why they did it. 

His lack of cooperation for the simplest things was well known and had even earned him a title: ‘Tatakai’, the one who fights. So, limiting his source of energy limited the slave house’s trouble. But that applied only to his chakra and physics. He wasn’t afraid to scare them, he only needed eye contact to do it. And they had never figured it out.

00000

The suspension had come completely unexpected. Sakura had been healing wounds, researching poisons and various other medication when she wasn’t busy with saving lives and working overtime. As apprentice of the current leader of the city, the Godaime Hokage, Sakura had benefited from an excellent tutelage over the years. Her dedication to the job as a medicin ninja had seemed to pay off, everything had seemed just fine - until the day when she was given that ‘new assignment’. Sakura knew pretty well what it actually was: An administrative suspension.

It had struck her by total surprise and left her confused. The mission scroll said to buy one slave of her choice and to get both of them situated in her home to live there from now onwards. Furthermore it clarified that the slave was there to support her, not to be freed. And to top it off, it even forbid her to return to her hospital job for the time being. And that was essentially all it said.

The fact that the so called assignment had been personally ordered and signed by the Hokage herself, didn’t much help her to keep contenance. Suspension. It more felt like being expelled. Sakura knew she hadn’t done anything wrong so it was no use to go for that question. It rather rose her curiosity what else her tutor might have in mind. She was also a bit disappointed to not have received further background information, about that purchase of a slave and moreover as to WHY. But she trusted her female leader and thus she took it just like any other mission. She had been at the receiving end of Tsunade’s schemes before and knew the woman usually not only had good reason, but also a plan, potentially genius. As for now, Sakura could live with not knowing the full range of that mission. Tsunade wouldn’t take ‘no’ for an answer anyway.

And so she found herself on a horse a few days later, heading towards the next city featuring a slave house. The road was framed by trees and quite abandoned for the time being, the area rather rural. The monotonous and unspectacular landscape eased her thoughts to wander, which ended up in her medical mind taking over. She started wondering if the selection in the slave house would allow her to pick a healthy human body to study for once instead of the disease ridden ones she was used to. She could also pick an interesting case of some rare kind of sickness and study that up closely. After her first doubts about that task, a smirk passed her face finally. She wondered if Tsunade had thought this through. Sakura might be suspended from the hospital, but not from her profession. She perfectly knew how she’d pass her newly gained freetime.

00000

He was playing with his collar again. It had been a while since he’d been out. Even longer since he’d been able to move naturally, freely. His chakra was building and ebbing, moving inside, a constant presence just below his skin, unable to use, to break free. The sheer existence of his source of power, though being locked, was a silently frustrating comfort.

He shouldn’t think about that, too many times he’d gone there…They would never let him go. Somehow he’d lost that hope a while ago. Maybe it was because them being scared didn’t spur them to do him a favour. Maybe they waited for a dirty deal to fetch a tidy extra sum with his good looks. Fact was, he wasn’t free. He, after all, wasn’t his genius brother, who should have found a way out by now.

Said brother had urged him to be careful and the silent strategy he had chosen had worked perfectly well. It had indeed kept him safe, more or less. It had not gotten him freed though. Never even close. It was always the same: His new owners would bring him back to the slave house with complaints shortly after having bought him. The slave house would reassure them to recondition him. If the customers agreed that the recontitioning was an option at all, it would utterly fail, because he knew how things worked, whereas they didn’t. In the end the slave house would be forced to take him back and they all would be back where they’d started. At least until the one day the slave house would finally refuse to take him back.

No one trusted him. And they were right to do so, too. His silence prevented any spoken agreements, any reassurance that he might not harm them, that he would do as they ordered. It didn’t leave any room for possible negotiations to gain more leeway, to possibly gain freedom. That was the downside of his strategy. His chosen silence had protected him and his secrets well, though. It had kept them from possibly connecting dots and if that was the price, then so be it! He wasn’t going to talk or be social.

This, vegetating in a cell, only waiting to be sold and returned, reminded and resold, couldn’t be called life. This was no life. Though, he wasn’t so sure if he would have one, even if he was free. What meant freedom without having a place to call home; What meant freedom without family?

There was no real family to go back to. The only one left was his so called brother, the murderer who had killed everyone he’d ever loved. A killer, no longer a child but not yet adult. It was that man-boy who had raised him from then onwards. The disguised stranger had complied with his little brother’s wish and trained him, taught him, taken care of him. Could someone like that still be considered a ‘brother’? And besides, what was the purpose of all training and knowledge, when there’s no one else left to protect. What did it matter, if he was alone in the end?... He found himself wanting more! He refused his life to be over yet. He was just stuck, but it wasn’t over even if some answers were unattainable right now.

He didn’t pay attention to his surroundings, or rather, he was ignoring them. He wasn’t actively trying to get out nor did he care where he was for the moment. He’d be just as stuck outside of this place, even if the change of scenery might refresh his psyche a bit. His thoughts were spiralling more again lately. But being in the darkest corner of his cell also went with being overlooked easily, which was just fine with him. And if someone would still notice him by chance, because somebody always did at some point… then it’d be early enough to deal with it anew. But in the meantime, he had the illusion of momentary peace.

00000

Instead of the semi-pleasant atmosphere in the entrance, the hall Sakura had just entered was a hall full of despair. A stark stench of unwashed people and waste hung in the air. She would not want to ever be stuck in such a place, so she rather would finish up here quickly. She could not help all these people, so it was uncomfortable enough to pass through this place and see their misery.

“Is there anything in specific you are searching for, Miss?“ The man in front of her asked again.

“Thank you, but for now I’d just like to have a look.” _ Also, I'd like to know about the conditions the slaves live in here _, she added in her mind. This was all an act, second nature for a Shinobi, to keep off the radar you act as expected of you until you make your move. And that was exactly what she was doing while in the slave house. She kept her true feelings carefully under wraps, putting on the front of a snobby woman who wanted a slave.

“I'll let you browse them by yourself then, Miss. Just call me if you need any further assistance.“

Sakura started off right away; She truly didn't want to stay here for too long. It was loud wherever she went. The unoccupied cages were open, doors slid aside. The guide had given her a lamp, since the whole complex was rather poorly lid.

Every slave was held in a separate cabin. The cell walls, or really cell bars, were shared though. There was no privacy. Better be buddies with your neighbors then, Sakura mused. She forced herself to get some glimpse into the cages. The people inside showed a wide variety of reactions: Some wailing, others pleading for mercy, stretching out their arms, out of their cages in an attempt to grab her. She dismissed all of them with a glance: They weren't what she was searching for. Then there were those who cursed at her and spew out other profanities; A few even tried to seduce her. She had passed the elderly ones already, now more in the back, the slaves were getting younger. The sheer count of cells to fill scared her, but her informant was right: She had a wide selection here.

Feeling slightly uncomfortable, she turned her attention to the construction of cages. They were solid. The catwalk she stood on elevated so that she could peer into the cells above each other. All doors were built to be accessed from the catwalk. The cages she could pear down into had the door lifted to meet the floor she was standing on, the upper ones had them just above, it must be a climbing act in both cases. The cages were high enough that an average person could stand upright, but they didn't have much play in height. Then, they had just a bit more than a square meter ground per cell, so it was possible to sit down and curl into oneself while sleeping, but not to lay stretched out. The bars itself were spread far enough to let arms through, but no heads.

When she noticed that the lower cages had less occupants, she asked her escort about it. He informed her that those cells usually held the more rebellious slaves, as it was harder to get in and out, or to harm the guards. It caused her to pay more attention to the difference.

Arriving in her age section, she started looking around more thoroughly again. Still she quickly dismissed many possible candidates.

Up till now she had written down two names so far, Suigetsu and Juugo, but none had really convinced her yet. Suigetsu seemed lively enough but reminded her a bit much of her teammate’s chattiness. And that Juugo, he'd definitely be interesting from a medical point of view, but he himself was too afraid of his disease. Sakura didn’t see herself as someone for psychological welcare, only for physical. Thus these candidates were likely out.

So she approached the last locked cell in this hallway and held her lamp to light up the cage. It was the grottiest cell she'd seen yet, it ran through her mind as she bent her knees to hunch down. Curiously she peered inside: There, in the darkest corner she could make out black, greasy hair and pale, bony shoulders. A back, partially exposed as his shirt hung loosely down on his elbows, littered with dirt or bruises, she couldn’t quite tell. He showed no reaction to the light change, when she held her lamp over him. His hands absentmindedly fiddled around, which told her that he was indeed awake.

“Hey, you!“ There was a brief lapse in activity, but then he continued ignoring them.

“Hey, you! Turn around.“ Sakura called out again. With agonizing slowness the slave got up. He pulled his shirt back over his shoulders and promptly took a step away from the catwalk to sink down in the corner at the opposite side of the cage. Irritatedly, Sakura shook her head. Was he allowed to just ignore a customer? 

As she didn’t know how to react to that ignorance, she observed him closer. Now she had a slightly better view on him, but he expertly hid his features behind some strands of hair. He had started playing with his fingers again. If she had paid greater attention to his fiddling, she might have recognized the pattern to be hand signs, but her eyes were riveted on his face. She thought to have seen the trace of a smirk, but she wasn’t sure. This slave acted unusual, he had totally caught her interest.

“… I know you can hear me...“ She waited for a moment. The slave let one hand casually fall to the side, while his other went to twiddle with something around his neck. Sakura stared at the fragile looking hands, it seemed he had not been fed a lot lately.

“Miss? Is there a problem?” The escort approached in long strides. “Oh, you again!“ He sounded angry.

The boy didn't look up when the guard inserted a staff with a hook at the end into the cell. Before it could reach him however, the slave had snached it away and pushed it back at the guard. He now was standing up and approaching the door slowly. The guard hissed a curse, holding his belly where he'd been hit, then straightened, clearly intent to beat the boy with his rod. Sakura quickly stopped him, showing her displeasure clearly as she took the stick out off his hand.

“Look up!“ When he didn't, she held the staff gently below his chin and made him lift it. She saw him press his lips to a thin line and felt awkward for what she was doing. Then he lifted his eyes and his gaze caused a shiver to run down her back. The density of anger he conveyed was overwhelming. It would not have taken much for calling it ‘_ hate’ _even. She stared into these onyx orbs, half hidden behind greasy strands of hair, which framed his face. His staring was too intense for a slave… It held her captive. Within this moment, as his eyes fiercely kept the connections to hers, she realized that he had understood perfectly well. He understood and chose to disobey. 

Finally she managed to withdraw her eyes from his and concentrated on his physical state. It surprised her that he seemed quite fit for having lived without proper nutrition in such a small space. She ran her gaze over his limbs: they seemed just to be bone, skin and muscle; The kind of muscle that seemed slim but steel, durable, persevering. The taut skin was pale, almost sickly and showed his ribs clearly. She’d read about that sort of malnutrition before and found it approved in this place. Thinness was common amongst slaves, but his clearly was more on the side of starvation. The paleness suggested that he’d spend the last weeks rather in the inside of this bastille. It stood contradictory to the muscle that shined through his translucent skin.

What would she need a somewhat weak-looking slave for anyway? What tasks could he possibly do when getting home? Probably light work in the house to build up his body as he gained weight. She’d have time to think of it later. 

She moved back to his face, focusing on his features that were still half hidden behind hair. Handsome. She wanted to see more of this face, so she stretched out a hand to push back his bangs when the guard pulled her back abruptly.

“Miss, please don't. He's unpredictable. And dangerous.“ 

“Don't you worry, I’ll take responsibility.“ Sakura said smirking. When she turned her head back to the cage she saw that its occupant had withdrawn a few steps. Just now she noticed the collar around his pale neck. It had rings woven into it and suddenly it made sense for the staff to have a hook at the end. 

“Will you come over on your own or will I have to use this?“ The slave only glared but didn't move. Sakura shrugged and plunged the staff back through the bars. What she didn't expect, was him to suddenly move and expertly wind it out of her grasp. It fell behind him clattering. Suddenly the young captive was right in front of her: One hand holding her neck, the other forced her chin up uncomfortably with a rough thumb. She felt the slight pressure on her jugular and his gaze left no doubt that he knew perfectly well what he was doing. She held his gaze when, only for a moment, she meant to hear him in her head. The message was clear.

'Would you like it?'

His eyes grew colder and he let her go as swiftly as he had grabbed her.

“I wouldn't.“ She noticed his quick glare towards her escort and only then realized that the latter was seething.

“You little shit! No food for you tonight. Now return that stick or you'll regret it.“ The boy bent down to pick up the rod, then leaned against it. To Sakura, he provoked the guard in a more than obvious manner, but that one was just blind, or too stupid, to recognize it. So she decided better to distract them both. 

“Got a name, slave?“, she asked. The boy answered with a nod, then motioned to the guard, acting entirely too comfortable in such a situation.

“We call him Tatakai,… He never gave us a name… In fact, I've never heard him speak, though it is said he could. It's a shame, really. After all, he is a real looker as you can see. If he'd just cooperate.“ Sakura turned back to Tatakai, who was leaning against one side of the cage now, arms crossed, listening to the conversation. She stepped closer again. Thereby, she stumbled over something on the ground: The staff.

She stared at it, then back at the slave. Their eyes met and he momentarily closed his eyes, as if nodding. Yes, he'd given it back. That was the moment Sakura knew he was the one she would take.

“So you are called: ‘The one who fights’.”, she addressed him. “I can see why... There’s definitely more to you though. You are interesting, Tatakai. And you really don't talk?“

“Hn.“ He turned his back on her and returned to the corner, clearly dismissing Sakura. Bewildered at first, she had to smile. Challenge accepted.

She turned back to the guard, who had watched the scene with round eyes. “I'll take him.“

“You can't be serious… He'll attack you as soon as you turn your back on him.“

“Will he now?“ She dropped the staff back to the guard who caught it gawky.

„Everyone who has taken him has brought him back not soon after. They profess they got threatened by ghosts and started hearing voices in his presence. They feared to be paralyzed. It even supposedly happened quite a few times that someone froze up or momentarily lost control over his body. Strange things happen around that boy, Miss. I don't wish that on you.“

“Your concern is flattering, but I am a big girl. I'll be able to handle him. Please get everything ready for the transaction. Oh,” She made a pause and added emphatically “and I wish no punishing or damage to him.“

00000

After the girl and the guard had left, the pale young man got back on his feet. He leaned back against the bars waiting, knowing the guard would return with backup soon. He wasn’t sure whether he should be ‘happy’ to momentarily get out of this shit-hole or simply be annoyed at the perspective of being owned by a bubble-gum-pink haired _ kid _ playing _ adult _. She had noticed him, yeah right, she’d also try to play the boss. It wouldn’t work though and he’d probably be back here soon enough. It was always like that. In the meanwhile, the change of scenery would keep his sanity rooted a little while longer, giving him a break to recuperate his mind from these endless circles. He knew the comfort of becoming detached from everything down here was dangerous, but it was a familiar foe. One that slowly snuck up on you, nibbling on your roots until you were afloat, drifting away. Temporary escapes did help to pull oneself together. He wondered how long he'd last outside this time. He wouldn’t dare to manipulate her more than he usually did. He couldn't afford to get discovered.

There, he could already hear their steps, but didn't bother to look up as they approached, just waited near the door. He knew the procedure. Handcuffs were dropped into the cell and he put them on himself. He did so without much fuss. Cuffs were much preferable to the tranquilizers they'd used on him before, more comfortable, too. He heard a click and the door was pushed aside. When the guard’s arm reached inside, he blocked the incoming hand with his forearms, knocking it away. The bulky man gave him an angry glare and he held the gaze. A flash of red.

'I'll get out myself!'

The guard stepped back so that the slave could lift himself out of the cage. He let himself be led to the showers. Reaching the door to the room, he grabbed the bar of soap he was presented and got inside. The cold water hit him with full force. He only froze though, when he felt a warm hand in his neck.

“Ah you really thought you'd get away from us, didn't you? Well, I got some news for you: You were wrong!”

00000

In the meantime, Sakura had been brought upstairs to a private section of the slave house. The room was in sharp contrast to the dirty hall where the slaves were held, filled with heavy wall carpets and pillows, clearly made for customers to feel comfortable in. She was offered to ensconce herself in an antique looking armchair where she received final details of the purchase agreement along with further warning about her purchase. Though they repeatedly mentioned that some of his past owners believed he might be protected by a red eyed demon, or angel, or whatever else. But Sakura had already made her decision and she wasn’t going to reconsider. During the talk she had also gleaned that, while his exact age was unclear, they guessed him to be approximately 16 or 17. 

“Well, we’re glad he will be off our hands. He only left a crushed margin, was more work than worth, despite his good looks.”

“What’s the matter with him?” She wasn’t interested in commercial lamentation. The man took the money she held out for him and carefully set it aside.

“He fought back whenever he could. Making everything difficult, for us and for him, if you know what I mean. He took punishments as if they were nothing. He scared my guards, too. But oh well, this doesn’t concern us any longer. So, have fun with him.”

They got interrupted by a noise of stumbling and labored breathing. The slave was brought in, held by two guards. His head was lowered and he seemed to be wet. She could tell it from his clothes: They were the same as before, only that they were now soaked and looked somewhat cleaner. His hair had been washed, but still was as messy before. Shivers ran through his body and when he lifted his head she could see his lips being all blue-ish and his skin red. His eyes were glazed over, like he wasn’t fully here. She was shocked about the miserable state he was in; He looked as if he wasn't far from collapsing and a slight push against his back from one of the guards was enough to bring him ungently to his knees, accompanied by a suppressed moan. The way they treated him was truly disgusting. It put her on guard more than ever.

“So, all that is left to do is the application, the tracking seal and the slave seals adaptation. Are you ready, Haruno-san?” Though she couldn’t quite take off her eyes from the slave on the ground next to her, she nodded at the merchant to proceed.

“As I said before, your seals will only be visible when you activate them. The slave seal will stay visible always on his skin, should you need to show claim, activation of yours will make his glow. But what is probably of more interest for you, young Miss, that seal will prevent him from any attack with the intention of harming you. Oh, and the tracking seal will only show when you activate it.” A guard grabbed the slave’s wide shirt and pulled it down so it hung loosely around his elbows. Sakura spotted a swirl on his upper arm: That must be the slave seal. The seller hadn’t said that the slave would not be able to harm her, but only not be able to do so on purpose. She froze a little by the thought of letting a complete stranger into her house and the seal being the only barrier between her and a potential attack, but as the guard made a move in front of her, she banished that fear. The tall man grabbed the slave to hold him still; The latter winced, but didn't react otherwise. A paint brush danced between his bare shoulder blades and after the sealer was done with the slave, he turned to her.

Her counter seals would be applied a different way: They had them written on paper slits that just needed to be pressed on her neck and brushed over with water so the ink would stick to her skin. After that she was handed a Senbon to prick her thumb. As instructed, she applied a bit of blood to the swirl on his arm, then a bit onto his tracking seal on his back. Having done so, she took his hand to prick him as well. She let his blood drip onto the Senbon, applied it to the counter seals on her neck and felt the seals soak them in. Then she took her pricked thumb again and dragged it over her own seals to complete the sealing. All signets started glowing for a moment. She could feel an odd warmth radiating from them, before they slowly started to fade, disappearing into the skin. In the end the only one left visible was the swirl on his arm.

“The sealing is complete, payment is made. If you want you can try and activate the seals to see if they are working.”

She nodded and raised her fingers to the seals on her neck. While keeping an eye on the slave, she pushed a little bit of chakra into the ink. He stiffened as his seals responded with a weird glow. Satisfied, she stopped the chakra flow and got up. She wanted to get out of this place as quickly as possible. Though when she grabbed his arm he stumbled, clearly off balance.

“Just what did you do to him in the meanwhile?” She asked steadying him at her side. Her voice was angry, the sound accusing.

The seller harrumphed at first but ended up in a soothing gesture. “Hm, by the looks of it they fed him some meds to keep him calm for the sealing. It’s a normal procedure, Miss. They should wear off in a few hours.”

She narrowed her eyes. She was clearly displeased and not afraid to show it. “Goodbye” She said somewhat coldly and grabbed the door handle.

“Goodbye. Was nice doing business with you, young Miss.” He called after her as she left.

When she pulled him along, walking down the hallway, she noted the slave’s hands being bound together by solid steel shackles. His shirt and skin were still uncomfortably cool and she could feel him shaking. When they stepped outside, she saw him squint his eyes, letting his bangs fall into his line of vision even more, taking a deep breath at the same time. She shouldn't be surprised: He was probably light sensitive after his durance in that dark cell unit.

Being just the two of them now, she quietly looked at him again. His hair, now drying into a fluffy mess, had a blue shine to it in the sunlight, very unlike the dull greasy black it had appeared to be in that dark cell.

She just noticed now that he must have pulled his shirt back over his shoulders; It was tugged into the thick cord, wrapped around his hips. It looked odd: like some kind of blanket over a pair of pants. Sakura also took note of his bare feet. She had seen a naturally lean, though still somewhat sturdy built, even though he hid his starved body below those clothes. He began to hesitantly bring up his bound hands to hold his head momentarily, before turning away as coughs shook his body. He hadn't lifted his head again yet and as much as she wanted to satisfy her curiosity, the coughs and wet clothing reminded her of the need to get home.

She led him towards the stables where she had racked up the horse she had brought to get them home. He waited outside as she got the horse and looking at him leaning against the stable, she wondered once more, just how much violence they had used to get him clean and obedient.

They were riding down the road back to Konoha for about half an hour already and instead of clutching the mane, the pale boy had been clutching his stomach, moaning quietly now and then. His condition was worsening. The atmosphere was calm otherwise and she only heard the birds whistle and the wind brushing through the leaves. When his groaning turned into whines and he started to curl up, Sakura ordered to descent. This was how they found themselves at the side of the road: He was throwing up and shaking like a leaf.

“You had meds on an empty stomach, didn't you?” He nodded, heaving the last drops of stomach liquid, breathing hard and down on all fours. 

When he seemed stable she held a water bottle to his mouth ordering him to rinse. He did and she led him away from the mess he’d made, helping him lay down on a spot with a thick layer of moss. He weakly pushed her hand away before curling up once more. He obviously was exhausted and she had a hunch it wasn't just the meds. Just what had they done to him?

When she moved her hand to his forehead, he wanted to turn away, but she was in a better position and constitution than him and he soon gave up the resistance, just closing his eyes momentarily. His skin felt febrile, but with the still damp clothing he wore, it didn't surprise her. She pushed the sweat-soaked bangs out of his face to get him some refreshment, but also to have a better view of him.

Swung eyebrows, straight nose, a gentle but masculine chin - he was truly handsome, more so than she had thought. The aristocratic look went very well with this marble skin. The sunken cheeks however looked unnatural. Well, she better check out his general condition. When she opened his shirt to have direct access to the chest, he opened his eyes and feebly tried to push her away again, but she didn't relent and soon revealed a set of dark bruises at the front of his torso.

He winced at her touch and soon enough another groan of pain left his mouth. She probed further, starting to check each rib below the heavy colours. His breathing became even more shallow. He had at least two cracked ribs, luckily none were broken completely, some others were only bruised, but she knew it must still be painful enough. That he had managed to keep quiet about the pain for so long was quite surprising. His pain tolerance was comparable to one of a ninja.

She moved to heal at least some of the damage and easing his pain a bit. She felt him tensing at first, but after a while his breaths became deeper as the pain resided and he slowly relaxed. Probably out of exhaustion rather than comfort. 

However, when she wanted to scan his throat he started to heavily resist again: Clawing at her hands, clearly unwilling, his eyes wide open. He let go finally only to try to push her away, grunting. She finally stilled because she could see all the hatred, now coming through the haze, the med's still kept him in. Good, he was coming back.

“I just want to check your throat!”

He simply turned away, even tried to get up.

“Don't ignore me!” But he indeed did just that and scrambled away a few steps until he finally turned around, still with that hateful glare.

“I won't choke you, I just want to check on your throat.” She repeated, waiting until he calmed down a bit. Much to his surprise, she took out a Kunai and threw it so it got stuck in the ground in front of him. He looked startled.

“You may hold it against my throat while I do it, if that helps.” She looked first at the weapon, then at him. “To make sure you're safe with me.” When he took the Kunai reluctantly, she resumed her approach and raised her hands to his throat once more. The blade was quickly raised to her throat so she’d better do her probing at a decent pace.

Everything seemed to be okay. She couldn’t make out any injuries from throwing up, no injuries of choking either. The trachea was fine, so she moved on to his voice box. And there, too: no anomaly. There was indeed no reason he shouldn't be able to speak. She let her hands sink and he in response lowered the Kunai, holding it out for her.

She took it and stored it back into her bag. “Please rest some now. We still have a few hours of travel before us.”

00000

About ten additional minutes later she decided to move on and helped him back onto the horse. 

Sakura wondered why she had taken someone she knew to be silent. The ride with him was almost awkward. Her medical education told her that he wouldn't have been up for conversation right now either way, but the thought still bothered her. Then again, she knew exactly why she had taken him. There was more to him than pure fight instincts and general unfriendliness. The fact that he had returned the staff and Kunai without any fuss was proof of that.

He clearly preferred to do things on his own. Those guards probably had just abused their power without looking underneath, as would have most owners. He sat right in front of her slumped on the horse, while she made sure he didn’t lose balance. As long as he sat like that, she could see what was in front of them.

Again she wondered why he didn't speak, she wondered if he couldn't or if he chose not to. His eyes had clearly conveyed his intelligence, dark and captivating as they were. She'd already thought about possible reasons that could have impaired his faculty of speech. Yeah, so much for changing up routines and activities, didn't work out, Tsunade, did it? She thought smirking. Her thoughts wandered further, thinking as a few years ago she had been a total fangirl for good looking boys. She'd totally fallen for his looks back then. Yeah she had changed… a lot. Her career had shifted her focus on more serious matters. It had increased her natural awareness and during medical schooling she had been confronted with presented more than enough nude bodies, women and men. She had learned that the physical beauty of youth did not last… The thought still caused her to shudder.

Maybe, if this individual in front of her had used chakra before and grasped the basics, she could even teach him some medical Jutsu, or simply have him help with all the reports… hmm. She was getting ahead of herself. She had wanted a challenge, sure. The attitude he'd shown so far would probably already cover that more than enough for a while. And anyway, she wasn't planning on keeping him around for forever. Or was she? Just what had Tsunade been concocting?

After another five hours of traveling and silent musing, the gates of Konoha came into view. Though the drugs had worn off about two hours ago, he hadn't gotten much livelier. She had wondered more than once what had happened between the selection and the final handover but there hadn’t been any suitable moment to ask her new companion. So, when they passed the village gates, her question was still unanswered.

  
00000

When they arrived at her apartment complex and got off the horse, she let her eyes wander over him. He was leaning against the side of a wall, not casually like he had in the cell, but very much for support. He didn't look up. At least his clothing was dry at last. She discarded the idea about just telling him where he needed to go while she would bring back the horse because he really didn't look like he'd be able to follow any instructions at all right now.

Sighing, she got out her keys. “Come, follow me.”

Arriving on her doorstep, she opened it. Just now remembering that they both hadn't eaten the whole journey back (only drunken some water), she spoke up: “Get in, get something to eat, there's food in the fridge… the kitchen is over there... and then wait for me. I'll cover the horse.”

00000

When Sakura got back home she found him slumped against the wall in the corridor. She passed him very carefully, heading to the kitchen. Everything looked untouched in here, so he quite possibly hadn’t made it that far, damn. Back in the hallway, she looked down at him: He'd probably passed out on the spot. He really had looked dead tired. There were things she had left out on the quick medical exam during the travel, so she might as well use his unconscious state now, to do it without any resistance. Just as she was to touch him however, his hand shot out to intercept her. 

“I was just… Have you eaten anything?” She sputtered a quick excuse. Feeling the steel grip, her hand was caught with, it dawned to her that he might be more dangerous than she had assumed. Reactions this swift and precise, whether awake or asleep, were indeed Shinobi qualities. 

He groaned, blinked against the bright light and then stared at the wrist he was holding, just now realizing what he was doing. The death grip loosened reluctantly, as if it was taking him conscious effort to let go. 

Finally he let his hand sink, curling back into himself on the floor. She wondered if he had just dismissed her as no threat. Was he even awake? How exhausted had he really been? But the most concerning question was: What was he like when he wasn't… like that?

The Shinobi in her couldn't help but assess him as potential threat. Obviously he was no danger right now. She hadn't thought about that at all, when she had gone out to purchase a slave. She had never thought of the mere possibility of finding someone with ninja qualities, let alone to pick such a person exactly. Though in the end, it didn’t surprise her that she instinctively picked out someone with special abilities. 

Just then something else dawned on her, really came crashing down on her: She had just let a complete unknown into her home, her supposed safe place. He was a stranger, a mystery, that she knew literary nothing about. A shiver ran down her spine. His reaction just now proved that he was definitely more than a simple ‘civilian slave’. While he might have been sleeping, his body was still aware and ready to fight.

Unsettled by her own thoughts, she felt the urge to have some distance. His injuries weren’t life threatening, so the full medical exam could wait until later. Carefully she got up, walked back to the kitchen and finally got herself something to eat. The routine was carried out automatically, while her thoughts were running haywire again. She really needed to get to bed and get some sleep, this was getting her nowhere. Finally in the bathroom, she quickly locked the door before looking around: Nothing seemed to have been touched in here either, nothing was out of place. Good.

But… He'd need this room too, she realized. There would be someone else living in this place from now on, moving around. Very likely even while she was asleep, she added in her thoughts, just when she entered her bedroom. That would take some time getting used to. Ugh, what had she gotten herself into? The door was locked and would alert her, should he try to get in, she assured herself, just before she slipped into her bed. Seconds later she drifted off. It was an unsteady sleep, as exhaustion finally caught up with her.

00000

The flat was silent when she came around. The sun was up already when she looked at the clock: Time to get up. Unwillingly, Sakura rolled out of bed and picked out some clothes. Before turning the key in the lock, she harkened if there was any sound behind the door. Was he still where she'd left him, on the floor? There was no noise, so she peered outside.

Indeed… He was propped up against the wall, sitting on the same spot where he'd fallen asleep, but awake and staring at her: His gaze as unnerving and angry as the day before in that cell. She decided to ignore this ungracious behaviour for now and went into the bathroom to take a shower.

When she was done and got out of the bathroom, he was gone. She instinctively pushed herself against the wall, suppressing a silent curse as she wore no Kunai on her. Not in her own four walls. Something she would need to overthink... She quickly turned her head to check if the coast was clear, ears strained: Were those dishes rattling from the kitchen!?

She entered and was pleasantly surprised: He was standing at the stove, cooking. Never would she have guessed him to cook breakfast on his own accord, even him being a slave… Not with his reputation! She looked at her kitchen table and frowned: Just one deck of dishes. She eyed him and noticed the awkward way he handled the pan. Right, his hands were still bound by the manacles.

Her decision came as naturally as in the slave house. If he already was acting like a slave, she could at least make it easier for him. “Here, let me take these off.” 

He looked down at her as she produced the key and jammed it into the shackles restricting his movement. After two clicking sounds his hands were free of the weight. He let them follow gravity and fall to his side, staring at her, eyes widening a fraction. She glanced at his dark orbs for a moment. His glare seemed to have lessened. That must have been a ‘Thank you’, though she wasn’t quite sure. Without another word, she left the room to put away the shackles. They weren’t needed any longer and that way he could reign over the kitchen more easily.

00000

Strange woman, Sasuke thought. He wondered about the day before, some things were rather fuzzy in his memory. Annoying drugs. At least he knew from similar situations in the past, that he wasn't one to dislodge his secrets while under them. He remembered vaguely having to throw up, she had seemed quite calm, even trying to help him. No annoying questions yet either, though he guessed, they would come. He knew he was carrying being unsociable a bit far with refusing to talk, but he couldn't let his voice be his downfall. If anyone ever found out about his origins, he'd be in deep shit, and he simply wasn't sure how similar his thoughts sounded compared to his actual voice. Itachi had begged him to be careful and Itachi didn't beg…. It had scared Sasuke. These memories, as they had dragged Itachi away, his brother trying to keep eye contact as long as possible. The silence in his head afterward, it had been louder than ever before, and he hated Itachi for it.

Sasuke tried to get rid of the thoughts, shaking his head. The light feel of his wrists almost felt wrong and his whole body hurt from traveling the day before. He hated to admit it but his stamina had taken quite the blow being stuck in that small cell so long. He'd tried, but a square meter allowed only so much movement. And his behavior and pride had led to starving himself. Well, not really, most guards just hadn't liked him much. Anyway… Yesterday he'd hardly had the energy to eat much, he'd been so tired. He'd barely managed to eat a tomato before his body had decided to shut down.

He wondered why this girl, she seemed his age, had gone out to buy a slave. Her apartment wasn't much to take care of. Concluding she probably didn't have all too much money to spare either. If he was honest, it didn't look like she spent a lot of time here either.

The rice was done, so he turned off the stove and went to search for his new owner. He went to the door of her room, which was slightly ajar. He peered through the slit and saw her laying on her bed, reading a book. Her ridiculously coloured hair stood in sharp contrast to the else spartan furnishing. It truly confused him: The colour itself seemed so spoiled-civilian like, but the girl didn't really act that way at all. In fact, he thought he'd seen a few weapons besides Kunai concealed in her clothing, which would mean, she was probably a ninja, just like him. These contradictions just didn’t make sense to him. But instead of losing his head on it, he decided to take action and knocked. Without checking if she had heard him, he returned to the kitchen. It didn’t take her long to appear. She sat down in front of the bowl filled with rice, but didn’t make any move to eat. Instead, she spoke up:

“If you think you can skip out of another meal you are mistaken. Grab a bowl and sit down!” He growled. The insinuation her statement brought let his temper flare up. His time as a slave had taught him to keep it in check mostly. It really helped that he usually didn't give people any clue to trigger him. He was used to jabs at his silence and as it was of his choosing, he had no trouble ignoring that, but this was different. He half expected a comment about having a voice after having used it, even if just for a growl, but she didn’t take the opportunity. He glared at her for a few seconds, but then straightened to dump some rice into another bowl. He'd always tried to cook enough when being with civil owners, so he wouldn't have to worry about not having any leftovers. He however hadn't anticipated her to expect him to join her at the table, so he was careful to leave another serving in the pan, as to not displease her, in case she wanted more. He sat down on the opposite side, taking a bite while his stomach grumbled.

They sat both silently eating for some minutes, before she spoke up again: “So, welcome to my place, I should probably say… And thanks for cooking. That was thoughtful of you....” She looked at him for a moment, expression undefined. 

“I thought about a few things you should know, so we are both on the same page. When I don't require your assistance, you’re free to do as you please. There are a few rules though. I want to know where you are for one, so leave me a note if you go out. Second, I don't want any books of the series ‘Icha Icha Paradise’ in this house. Then, my friends are to be treated reasonably. I don't expect you to talk, since you obviously won't, but treat them with respect, please. And lastly: If you want to be treated well, treat me with respect, too. However, should you ever choose to talk, my name is Sakura. Refer to me as such!”

“Hn.” Of course the pink-haired woman would be named after her hair colour, how original... That name hit the nail right on the head, literally.  
Clueless about his musings, she took another bite and saw him mirror the action, his dark eyes still stuck on her.

“You'll be in charge of the fridge and cooking.” she continued. “To not blow our budget, I'll provide you with some money so you can do the groceries. No Ramen please though, we’ll go to Ichiraku's with Naruto for that. Well, he’s a friend and in my team. Anyway, I'll also give you an allowance for you to spend for yourself.” He paused eating. “I expect you to buy things you need, like clothing, shoes, a toothbrush and sleepwear. Do as you please with the leftovers.”

She'd taken him by surprise with mentioning an allowance. None of his former owners had ever given him a choice in selecting his necessities. What exactly was that one planning for him?

“That brings me to another subject. I saw, you do have ninja-like reflexes… Have you been a ninja in past?” Sasuke's lips twitched, as he still stared at her unblinking. He hadn’t BEEN a ninja, he still WAS one! He wouldn't tell her a thing though, a slave owner. Who knew what she would do with any information about his past? She seemed suspicious already, he didn't like it at all.

“Well, should you wish to train, you are welcome to join my team for it, when we aren’t on a mission. I'll even teach you something, if you’d like.”

Sakura was curious for his reaction. She wanted to get an idea of his skills. This would be an ideal way to observe and maybe even loosen him up a bit. Not that she expected him to show her everything he got. It might challenge him to do so though. After all, her team wasn't nothing.

His eyes widened, a clear sign of surprise, but his gaze had gotten guarded just a moment later. 

“I guess that's all that comes to my mind right now. When you’re finished I'll show you around a bit.”

They continued eating in silence. Sasuke was wary, she didn't seem to have dislodged her true purpose for him to be here yet. This couldn't be all of it. At least he had it confirmed that she was a Kunoichi.

00000

When he had started to wash the dishes, she'd wordlessly gotten around to help and dry them, putting them away as she went. Soon after, he was equipped with a bag and an envelope holding the promised allowance. She scanned him over, eyes locking with his neck, or more exactly the collar around it.

“Let's take it off, alright?”

What, was she serious? No owner ever had ever considered taking it off. She really didn’t act like a typical slave owner. It was irritating him to no end.

“Would you please come down a bit so I can reach it!?” Reluctantly he went down on his knee, bowing his head. Carefully she stroke his hair away to get to the lock. Unlocked, the braided cable and leather collar fell down, revealing bruised skin beneath. At some places the skin was scraped and dirt had been collected in the time of wearing it, even though he might have tried to wash it off…

“Oh, let’s fix that.” He froze when her hands touched his neck and waited until she was done. Instead of meeting his eyes, she grabbed a rag, which she handed him. While he was swiping his neck, she presented him a key on a chain.

“A key to this apartment. Don't lose it!” As she turned around and went out, he followed quietly.

00000

They walked next to each other. He'd walked behind her first, but she'd have none of it.

“Alright, over there is a general store.” She pointed at a building. “You should go there for things like a toothbrush and such. Then over there” She pointed at another one. “You can find a library.” She continued walking while he quickly memorized the layout.

“Here’s the shop with ninja gear. Should you want ninja clothing, this is the place. Otherwise, down that street you can find a regular clothing shop.” He took a look around. After a few more minutes they were standing in front of a weird tower-like building. He peered behind it and noticed faces carved into the rock. He froze when he understood: He was in Konoha! Shit!... The Uchihas might had been gone for a while now, but you never knew. After all, many had worked for the Hokage. Hopefully no one here would think of him looking like an Uchiha.

“… Hello!? Anyone home?… Ah… So as I said. This building holds the Hokage’s office, it should help you with orientation here in this village. Oh and the Hokage monument should, too… Alright, let me just show you my team’s usual training grounds, then I'll let you off.”

00000

While they were passing a bridge, she explained that this was the usual meeting point of her team. By the end they had also visited about three training grounds. “If you don't get in anyone's way, no one should bother you. It might raise some questions though, as you don't wear a headband, but oh well. I'll think of something.”

On their way back she pointed out a few more places, like the ninja Academy and the street her teammate Naruto lived in. “Alright, the stores are that way. I'll go visit some friends now. You fine on your own?” Sasuke bowed his head a bit, then headed for the stores. He couldn't help but feel a bit of excitement. Allowance:The meaning of this word said that he could get his OWN things, ON his own. And she even gave him a choice at what he would get. 

First he entered the general store, quickly got a toothbrush and shower gel. Then he counted his money and how much he’d left and entered the ninja Gear store. He got himself three shirts and pants, a belt, a jacket and a pair of ninja sandals. Of course he also bought a few socks and underwear. As he knew the remaining money wouldn’t be sufficient for weapons, he skipped that section. Recounting how much he had left, he figured it ought to be enough to at least buy a pair of arm wraps.

He paid wordlessly and returned to the apartment. Sakura wasn't there yet. Deciding now was a good time to make use out of his momentary privacy and took a quiet, cleansing shower. The best thing for a long time and definitely overdue.

00000

When Sakura returned around noon, she was greeted by the nice smell of food. It made her smile, as it reminded her of when she still lived with her parents. She entered the kitchen just to find Tatakai in new clothes. He was still in full cooking mode and apparently had decided to get his clothing at the ninja store, just how she’d recommended. Now he wore a dark blue shirt with a high but wide collar and dark pants. She recognized standard ninja boots, too and in a way, she felt satisfied, almost proud. She sat down on the table, watching him..

“Had a nice time out?”

“Hn.” Well, at least he was acknowledging her and using his voice for it, it was progress. When he was done, he brought the pan over. They both sat down, eating quietly for a while. The food wasn't outstanding but alright. He kept observing her, watching her every move. No wonder he was freaking out civilians.

“_ Like _ what you see?” She wanted to see his reaction, provoke him, but he simply huffed, looking down at his food. No soon after, went back to stare at her.

“So, you've gotten all you need for now? I’m curious: Have you bought anything for your entertainment or just the necessities I mentioned!?” Tatakai smirked, but didn't make any move to answer her question.

“Anyway, I'll show you where you can put your stuff.”

She lead him to the guest room. “You can sleep on the bed, I have to warn you though: Naruto sometimes has the habit of crashing in here, so don't be surprised. It'll probably be whomever is in bed first then. He’s not a calm enough sleeper to comfortably share... Here is a closet to put in your stuff.” Tatakai seemed to have missed hearing the mention of Naruto and started stuffing his purchases into the closet. Sakura watched him attentively while he was doing it. It seemed to be just clothing, nothing personal. A little disappointed, she added:

“I guess, I should probably tell you a bit more about living here.” He paused and looked at her.

“My room is off limits if I'm not around. Only come in if you are sure that I'm awake and decent. Otherwise you may go anywhere in this apartment at any time. This includes the use of the fridge. I'd rather have you eat. Otherwise: you make a mess… you clean it up. Yeah, … Anyway, I'll be training on training ground number four now, you’re always welcome to join us.” The wardrobe door slammed closed and he eyed her impassively. Shrugging her shoulders, she left the room.

00000

When she came back in the evening, he was gone. The dishes were done and there was a paper slip on the table.

_ Hokage Monument, back at sunset _


	2. Friendship on Insults

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you, all those who left Kudo's :)  
And a special thanks to my friend Nackmu for the beta-reading!

He'd come home exhausted that day. Whatever he'd done on the Hokage Monument, he was sweaty and when he had wanted to start cooking like that, she'd sent him directly for another shower. Better he’d unlearn that slave-house-manner soon. She had noticed him wearing a fabric arm protection though, so he'd bought something on his own after all. Actually that sort of accessory would be a good choice for a ninja. Interesting…

Also she'd found out he could write, and even had a nice, readable handwriting, unlike some blond blockhead ninja she knew. Tatakai seemed to be so tired that he went straight to bed after washing the dishes. His door was closed and she was annoyed that he'd slipped past the medical examination once more. She felt divided about entering his room, after all, he had come from a place with no privacy at all, he must enjoy that change. She didn't want to compromise it all the time.

00000

When she got out of the bathroom the next morning, he was already waiting for her in the kitchen. Food was on the stove and he’d dared to get himself a tea and a tomato. Good, he listens. He rose to serve her from the pan when she took a chair. But his moves were more slow and deliberate, unlike the day before, and she decided that it was time to do the medical after breakfast.

“I'll run a full medical check on you after this.” He looked up, eyes squinted disapprovingly. “Oh, don’t give me that look. You're not getting out of it anyway. It's not only for your benefit, but practice for me.” He felt uneasy when he realized that he wasn’t fighting back as strongly as usual. She seemed to know her work. Of course he hated the invasion, but honestly, she seemed to care for health and he definitely wasn't on the healthy side right now, even though he had no serious injuries left. As long as she would just stay away from his eyes… What choice did he have anyway? Not that he trusted her really. But that bit of faith he seemed to have, already made him angry.

He would definitely not let himself getting lulled! No matter how sugar coated she all presented this to him, he was still a slave, a slave supposed to obey. She might ask for more than he was ready to give, yet for less than would be considered inappropriate. The scans would, in fact, require no nudity and his body was aching all over from the work out yesterday and he'd probably only be making it worse today. He got up and went to the room he was occupying now, leaving the door ajar. He’d indeed profit from her healing skills, but she’d better be doing it fast.

00000

When Sakura got in, she found him sitting on his bed, arms crossed.

“What's wrong?” She tried to make her voice sound soft, considerate. His eyes met hers, a flash of red.

'Everything'

The word had just resounded in her head, poisonous. It sent chills down her back. But then he moved, lay down with a huff, his eyes stuck on her. 

'Go ahead' 

00000

“Hmm, I wonder how you're able to move today, you must be sore as hell. Just what did you do?!” It was a rhetorical question and went ignored pretty much.

Dark eyes warily kept track of her as she worked. She felt him tense every time she started healing something; He was clearly uncomfortable. The bruises above his ribs were slowly fading, nevertheless she focussed a bit time on further healing them. The bones would remain tender for quite a while, but with some help, the time it’d take could be cut down considerably.

  
After that, she also took care of some darker bruising on other places and then urged to close tiny new shreds in his muscle, which only could have come from extensive training, working limb for limb. It was a good practice for chakra control, as the wounds were small; Something she usually didn't heal at all. This practice would be worth gold for tiny but difficult operations in the hospital. At the end, she grabbed his grazed wrists and he watched the greenish glow as she encouraged the healing to take place one last time.

“There, all done. You're actually rather healthy for where you've been. Thank you for cooperating.”

It had been more than just a simple check up and both of them knew it. Physically, he felt tons better than when waking up, but at the same time he‘d been very uncomfortable under her touch. Anyway, he needed to get his muscle mass back and would probably undue her work again pretty soon. He noticed that he was somehow more relaxed now than he'd been in a long time.

She left the room without giving him any new instructions… That made him kind of free. Hn, not literally, but she recovered him, so he got up as well to continue his exercises outside. As he passed by her room, she called after him.

“Hey, wait!” He stopped at her door. “I never asked: Are you alright with being called ‘Tatakai’?”

“Hn” That must have been an approval then.

“Alright, Tatakai, the money for food this week is on the kitchen table… just letting you know. I'll probably leave it there once a week or so. If my team eats all food away early again, just let me know. Then I’ll give you more.”

So much about having ‘free time’. He decided to do the shopping quickly and grabbed the envelope with the money. That way he'd be free after lunch. He started a list as well as an inventory, just like Itachi had taught him. It was an effective way to figure out what’s needed or be easy to cook. She only said ‘no Ramen’, so the options were wide enough still. Before he went off, he also took the rest of his allowance with him, together with the bag he'd used yesterday.

On the market, he went through the stands and stores as fast as he could. With the last of his allowance, he then entered an art store where he bought a pen and an empty book. He didn't bother looking for Sakura when he got home, but went into the kitchen to get the cooking done so he could eat and leave afterwards. She must have realized that he was close to done, when she entered the kitchen and waited for him to finish up. This time she remained silent, no bothering.

After eating, she took her leave for training and so did he. He was determined to get back into shape, if he already had the freedom to do it. And so he found himself running to the Hokage Monument, just as a little warm up. Up there, he started stretching his limbs to maximize his mobility. It had been the only thing he'd been able to do to some extent in his cell. His chakra had been locked inside his body by that collar, which so kindly had been removed by Sakura. She probably hadn't had any clue about its actual purpose. Her naivety might be his gain.

Taijutsu Kata followed the stretching exercises and he kept at it for nearly an hour and a half. When he was starting to feel exhausted, he decided that it was time for a break. Choosing a place with nice view, he took out his new notebook, sat down on the grass and started to draw, recalling the motive with his eidetic memory.

He'd been at it for about half an hour when he noticed someone approaching. He closed the book, when the person stopped next to him.

“Were you drawing something?” Sasuke eyed the person. It was a young man with dark hair and eyes, similar to the Uchiha's actually. He was clad in some rather belly-revealing shirt. Sasuke could make out a Tanto strapped on his back and the Hitai-Ate around his forehead. A ninja then.

“Hn” Sasuke turned away, determined to ignore the overly curious weirdness.

“May I see it?” The ninja dropped his bag and sat down next to him. It happened too fast for Sasuke to protest: The book was already out of his hand and the man flipping through it, quickly getting to his drawing.

“Not that bad, especially for just starting. A suggestion: For shading, you could use layers of cross hatching to make things darker, that works better than what you've been doing. Also, try to sketch out the face first, that helps to proportion everything correctly to each other. Here, I'll show you.”

He opened his backpack and got out a sketchbook. It looked used and within minutes the rough sketch of Itachi's face appeared on the page.

“I'm Sai by the way.” The ninja said without looking up. It shook Sasuke out of his semi frozen state. He couldn’t but stare at Sai's drawing, it was unmistakably Itachi's face. His eyes searched out Sai, who still was fully focused on drawing.

“Ha…Have you... seen him?” The sound that escaped his throat was rough and brittle. Was that his voice? Sasuke hardly recognized it. It not only felt strange coming out of his mouth, it also sounded foreign in his ears. If it was from disuse or emotion, he didn't know...

“No, should I have?” Apparently, Sai didn't notice his turmoil.

“How can you draw him then?”

Now Sai looked up. “Well, I've had your drawing, plus I got you as example. You both kinda look alike… Are you related?”

“Yes...” Sasuke felt cold suddenly, staring ahead. For a moment he had thought Sai might have a lead on his brother. He hadn't thought seeing his brother’s face drawn would affect him so much. The other happily continued talking.

“Here, look, I apply more layers of lines in different directions the darker I want the spot to be. So, all done.” Sai handed him his sketchbook. Sasuke just stared at it. Of course it wasn't perfect, but it was clearly recognizable.

“May I… May I keep this?”

“Oh, of course, just let me take it out myself, so it won't rip.” Soon Sai's drawing was safely tucked away in Sasuke's sketchbook and within his bag. Now he needed a distraction from those long-time hidden and confusing emotions. He needed to move. So he grabbed the stick he'd used as a substitute for a sword the day before and got ready. He started with the Kata he'd learned, focusing on the footwork. Suddenly he felt something behind him. Twirling around he blocked the incoming blade just in time.

“Not bad,… for a wannabe ninja.” 

“I never claimed to be one” Sasuke growled as he parried another incoming blow, moving quickly to get a hit on Sai, who evaded it just as easily. 

“Sure, as you are only fighting with a stick.” Sai had a creepy smile on his face. “Very manly”

Sasuke swung the stick to attack, angry at the last remark. “You know nothing!” He barely blocked another one of Sai's attacks.

“Aah… I know you're not from here.” Sasuke glared at him, then stumbled as he tried to evade Sai's Tanto. He fell to the ground and moved his stick just in time to intercept Sai's blade; Rolling away, Sasuke got to his feet. This little exchange of blows already was taxing for him. And the fact that his counterpart was only playing with him simply made him angry.

“So what if I am not?” Sasuke breathed hard, shaking. He was really getting slower. After a short moment he went for another attack, tried to fake one before the real strike, but Sai saw it coming from a mile away. He had already slowed down that much… Sasuke found himself locked in a physical power battle, one he was quickly losing as Sai pressed on. When Sai suddenly relieved pressure, Sasuke found himself stumbling forward. Sai evaded and gave him another shove, which sent Sasuke to his knees, then let the Tanto’s blade rest against his neck.

“Hmm, nah, doesn't matter. You're no threat, weak as you are. Seriously, you got like no stamina nore strength!”

Sasuke felt his temper rising. He hated being called weak, not to be able to do anything. When Sai withdrew the blade, Sasuke slowly turned around. The bastard called Sai was smiling again. Breathing heavily, Sasuke got up and made his way back to the edge of the rock indifferently. He heard Sai following him, but ignored it and just stared down at the village.

“I can get you a practice sword if you want. It's an insult to your technique to see you practicing with a stick.” That got Sasuke's attention. This guy seriously had just given him advice on how to draw, insulted him, and now offered his help once more!? With a compliment hidden in the flout? 

“What's your deal?” Sasuke spat. Indeed, he was afraid, afraid of them meeting again somewhere, not alone. What if other people heard his voice? What if Sakura found out? His most effective armor counted on him remaining silent. It was quite risky.

“Well, since you seem to have no option to get decent training material...” 

Sasuke interrupted him. “Why do you offer? You don't know me.”

Again, that creepy smile on Sai's face. “I read that showing a common interest and offering help are first steps towards friendship.”

Sasuke just looked at him strangely, but Sai, who had begun some scrabbling in his sketchbook again, didn't seem to notice. What had made him talk with this Sai in the first place? Right, upon seeing Sai's drawing of Itachi, he had just right out asked him, desperate for the answer. Then Sai had challenged him to a fight; he had caught him off guard, and on top he'd insulted him.

“It…. It would be nice to have a decent practice sword.”

“I'll bring one then, when I come here next time.”

“Sai?” The other looked up from his drawing, expectantly. “…I don't talk, usually. Like not at all. Don't expect me to do so again.” He looked back at Sai once more.

“Your secret is safe with me.” There was again a smile on Sai’s face, but a thoughtful one this time.

0000000

Sakura was already home when Tatakai returned. He was full of dust and his armwraps showed signs of a fight.

“Did you just roll around in the dirt or did you get into a brawl?” Tatakai just glared at her for a moment, then went into his room. He came out with pair of clean clothes under his arm just to disappear into the bathroom. Not the funny kinda guy then.

The evening was quiet. Sakura had joined him in the kitchen, a medical textbook in hand, while he cooked. It was peaceful.

“Thank you for cooking.”

“Hn.” 

“Would you join me later? We could watch a movie.” She suggested. Tatakai looked up, appearing tired. “I'll even let you pick.”

This time, he didn’t withdraw himself, though he didn’t appear overly interested either and so they soon found themselves in the living room, huddled on Sakura’s couch, each in their respective corners. She had been curious what kind of movie he’d chose. He'd gone for one of Naruto's action movies. Sakura had made them popcorn, something she rarely did for herself. It was comfy and she really enjoyed not being alone. Occasionally she threw a gaze over to Tatakai and in these less guarded moments, she could see his tiredness even more. When he almost nodded off, Sakura decided to call it a night.

After the girl had insisted on him going to bed, Sasuke had retreated into his room. Only when he had ascertained that she had also returned to her room and he could hear nothing but silence in the house, he took the sketchbook out off his pillow. He’d been hiding it carefully in the pillowcase after he got back from the fight with Sai in the afternoon. Just to be safe. He didn’t truly believe that Sakura would enter his room when he wasn’t around, but better be safe than sorry. 

Now he found himself sitting there, staring at the portrait he held in his hands. It had been so long since he had been able to look at the real Itachi. Sasuke wondered how his brother looked now. How was his illness fairing? It was a painful thought, that he could just be gone, and Sasuke would never know. He gently put the drawing back between the sheets of his sketchbook and shoved that into the pillowslip, then turned off the lights. Not even those bothersome thoughts could keep him awake now.

00000

Obnoxious pounding against the apartment door woke Sasuke from his comfortable slumber.

“Hey Sakura, guess who's back?…. Hey Sakura, get up! Get up!…. Saaakuuuraaah…. Open the door…. Let me in…. Come on, it's Naruto, the next Hokage… can't keep me waiting… you have to join me for Ichiraku…. Sakuraaaah-chan, rise and shine… Move your ass out of-”

Sasuke had made it out of bed rather fast upon this wake up call. Quite in a sour mood he approached the door, trying to figure out if he should open, but then the perturbator basically announced himself and he decided he’d had enough. The shouting abruptly stopped upon opening the door a crack wide.

“Finall- … Huh. Who are you?”

Sasuke glared at him, red flashing. 'Dobe'

“Teme!… wait, where is Sakura-chan?” Sasuke blocked the door with his foot and held a finger to his lips. “Uh…. Yeah, I'll be quiet, now let me in... Pleeaase, I gotta pee!...” This was Naruto? He let the boy pass, who all but bolted to the bathroom. It was an odd, kind of funny image. He’d remembered having seen him on some pictures around the house, too. Sasuke went into the kitchen. Still clad in his pajamas, he set up rice and miso soup, making more than usually. When both was simmering on the stove, he decided to get changed.

On his way back to the kitchen, he crossed that teammate of Sakura’s. And this guy was a ninja?? The Dobe was wearing a bright orange jumpsuit that looked worse of wear, appearing as if he had spend the night in a garden between thorny bushes and a puddle of mud. Sasuke, ignoring the other’s company, just went to the kitchen, where Naruto promptly plunked himself down on one of the chairs.

“Hey, I said we're going for Ramen. Why did you cook?” Sasuke just continued stirring the soup.

“Hey, don't ignore me, Teme!”

“Hn” Naruto growled at that and sulked at the table. Not for long though.

“So, hand on heart: What are you to Sakura? Why are you here?”

Sasuke turned around to stare into blue eyes: 'Think Dobe'

“You aren't her lover, are you?”

Sasuke's lips twitched. 'No'

“Thank goodness, this would have been so terrible: Coming home to learn to know your female teammate had taken an unknown man as lover. Without our consent no less!”

“I heard that!” Sakura was calling from the hallway. Sasuke turned his back on him and started pulling out the bowls.

“So, who are you?” Instead of an answer, an empty bowl was set in front of him. “You cannot be from here!... I've never seen you, and you're wearing ninja clothing, too. Are you visiting?”

“No” Sasuke was turned away, and had for once used his voice.

“Then why are you here, where are you from, where is your Hitai-ate? Why are you cooking for Sakura?” Once more Naruto was being ignored. Sasuke was simply leaning against the counter, silently, and staring at Naruto. The other  took it as provocation and stood up. 

“What the heck, Teme! I asked you something!” If there was one thing Naruto seemed to hate, it was being ignored. Sasuke hadn’t moved an inch, still leaning in a relaxed manner, hands in his pockets. He glared at the blond as if silently asking ‘Are you done?’… Naruto looked as if it was about to explode, but apparently this dude still tried decide out if Sasuke was a threat. 

“Usuratonkachi…” Sasuke couldn’t resist. Big blue eyes  looked at him in momentary disbelief.

“What did you just call me? I am not useless. I'll let you know that I'll be Hokage someday, dattebayo!” By saying that, Naruto had gotten nearer and was now standing in front of Sasuke. Though Sasuke had to acknowledge that Naruto maybe wasn’t the bigmouth he thought him to be, the latter had come too close for Sasuke's taste. Just when Sasuke wanted to turn away, Naruto grabbed him angrily, roughly turning him back around. That was when he saw the red eyes - and heard a voice next to his ear: 

“Stay away… from my little brother!”

Naruto nearly jumped out of his skin, turning around to see the threat immediately, but... there was no one. Now behind him, the voice appeared again: “Harm him and I'll hunt you down!”

The voice was definitely threatening. Naruto turned back to startle at someone else standing there. Face to face, so near he couldn't see that stranger anymore, he found himself unable to move. This stranger looked similar to the Teme, but there were deep grooves below his eyes, the eyes glowing red, black patterns swirling in them. Naruto felt he couldn't look away. The man was towering over him for a moment, but then, he was just gone. 

Naruto was alone with Sasuke, staring into his onyx eyes, breathing hard.

“Naruto, what are you doing here? I was happily sleeping until you decided to knock my door away and screaming around, urrrgh!… Naruto?” Sakura was standing in the door frame, hair still damp from showering. Naruto slowly turned around, scratching his neck, clearly embarrassed.

“Eh, hehe,… Hi to you, too. No welcome back? Man, and here I thought someone might be happy about my return...”

“ Naruto, it's 6:30 in the morning. Some people like to sleep when they can.”

“I just wanted to invite you for Ramen; Check up on my favorite teammate, but as you already have a private dinner-date, I should take my leave.” 

“Ugh, Naruto….” He was already taking a step forward when a hand stopped him ungently and pushed him into a chair. A bowl with miso soup was suddenly pushed in front of him. Without knowing it, Sasuke had just used the right language to convince him. Without further questioning or even saying ‘Itadakimasu’, he started slurping the steaming content. Sakura sat down next to him and after staring down Sasuke, he sat down as well.

After halfway emptying his bowl of soup, Naruto didn’t lose time to refill the new space with rice from the pan on the table. Sasuke was looking at him, wrinkling his nose.

“So, Sakura, how have you been? Would you please explain why this stranger here was opening your door this morning?” He spoke with his mouth full, some grains in the corner.

“Naruto, I'm my own person. I can take care of myself and I can decide for myself. It's none of your business whom I might date! I don't need your consent, nor Kakashi's nor anyone else's! Just keep out of it.”

“I don't trust this guy. He looks way too good and I doubt he's from the village. Are you sure you want him in your place? I tell you, if he does anything to you, anything at all. I'll… I'll...”

“Naruto calm down! You won’t do anything! And he won’t either! I don’t want to talk about this nonsense any longer! Just be nice to him.”

“That Teme called me 'Dobe'… and 'Usuratonkachi'...”

“He spoke?” Sakura stopped eating.

“Eh, hehe, I think so… We were talking, right Teme?”

Sasuke let out a huff. First, these two had talked about him as if he wasn't there. Then Naruto was calling him by that stupid nickname constantly. It really pissed him off. The Dobe was acting like a ten year old, in his opinion. And that boy wanted to become Hokage one day??

“Now, I guess I should  explain a few things to you, Naruto. Tatakai, he doesn't really do much talking. He probably won't answer your questions. So don't get mad if he doesn't.”

“Oh,… but why again is he here, in your apartment no less? He said he wasn't visiting.”

“Eh, no he isn't. He lives here now, whether you want to or not.”

“Ugh, why? He isn't from our village and I doubt Tsunade would just assign you a roommate.”

“No, not quite, though Tsunade had a hand in this. I guess I'll have to be clearer. Tatakai… is a slave. My slave.”

“Oh...” The penny was finally dropping. Naruto was at loss of words. Followed by a screeching, a chair was pushed back. Sasuke got up abruptly, placed his empty bowl in the sink and left the kitchen.

After a moment, Naruto turned back to Sakura.

“Is he a ninja?” He whispered, though Naruto's whisper was rather loud anyway.

“I don't know. I think he at least has some training as one.”

“Sakura, he's creepy… My eyes turn red when I transform, you remember?”

“Uhm, yes. But...?”

“It's just, I could have sworn, his eyes changed to red as well before, and then there suddenly was this other guy, who warned me of hurting him. He definitely had red eyes, too!”

Sakura paused. Another guy? She remembered what she’d been told at the slave house, that people claimed he was protected by someone with red eyes. Red eyes, she wondered... It couldn't be the same as with Naruto.

“I doubt he is a Jinjuuriki. Gaara's eyes didn't change to red either, and besides, he didn't show any of the other signs. But it is weird, I've heard similar stories when I bought him actually. What exactly did happen when you were alone with him, Naruto?”

“I guess I just tried to turn him back around to face me… Are you really alright with him sleeping in the same apartment?”

“It's been alright up till now. Anyway, change of topic: How was your mission?”

“Oh, I was awesome...” And so she heard all about Naruto's heroic deeds. About half an hour later, Naruto finally started to feel tired and decided to crash at Sakura's. Without much thinking he walked straight into the guest room and was about to fall onto the bed when something pushed him roughly, causing him to tumble on the floor.

Naruto’s eyes needed a few seconds to get used to the wan light of the darkened room, but then he recognized Tatakai, standing on the bed. One hand balled, threatening.

“Yeah, yeah, sorry. I got it, it's your bed now…” Another shove. How had he moved so fast? “I'm out, I'm out!” Holding up his hands Naruto stumbled backwards, out of the door.

Sasuke felt his body ache from yesterday's practice, but it wasn't as bad as the day before. He found a somewhat comfortable position and looked at Sai's drawing again. What did he look like now? The worry lines below Itachi's eyes, had they gotten deeper? Sasuke would still recognize him, wouldn't he? Did his brother miss him too?… A knock on the door. He quickly shoved the sketch into the book pages, and hid it under the pillow.

“Hn...” The door opened and Sakura got in.

“Ehm, so, I'd like to practice scanning and healing again. Would you lay down for me, please?” Sasuke turned around, still angry. What choice did he have? She'd clearly stated his status to Naruto, though she'd sounded ashamed. No matter how nice she was to him, he still was a slave, separated from his brother, now serving in the village that was supposed to be his home, yet wasn't. He laid down, back turned towards her.

Her touch made him wince and while the aches slowly faded, his anger increased. He felt as if he hadn't worked out the day before, and for some reason that really irked him. Ache was his payment and she took it from him. When she moved to his neck, his hair there raised.

“Relax, I won't do anything, I promise.” Her hands moved upwards into his hair. “I'll just scan the brain, I won't mess with it.”

As soon as he was let off, he grabbed his sandals, put them on, heading out. “Meet us at Ichiraku's around two, got it?!” Sakura shouted after him.

For the first time since he’d arrived in Konoha, he used chakra enhanced jumps to move, he just had to get out, distract himself. Once he checked that he was alone on the training ground, he moved to blow off some steam. To feel his limits, working his body to exhaustion, just so he wouldn't have to face his feelings. He had to know he could still fight, never again would he want to let something restraining his chakra, and he'd fight to prevent anyone from taking that ability from him once more.

He knew it was too dangerous to use any Uchiha related Jutsu. He'd picked up a few others before capture, so he slipped in some of those into his routine now and then. He needed to use Jutsu, and he needed to not rely on his Uchiha heritage while fighting, or else he'd be discovered, especially here. Mere physical workout didn't feel like enough right now and he needed to assess his strength. He'd been without chakra for so long, and now, with his emotions rocketing, he just couldn't control himself not to. And so he sped through the landscape, leaving broken rocks and rubble in his wake. 

00000

Sakura realized about half an hour later, that she didn't actually know where Tatakai had gone to, only that he'd looked like he was about to explode. She could hardly focus on the medical text she was reading. She'd finished the journal entry about his healing process already. It was interesting and she was trying to read up some things to understand her findings better, but the lack of focus was nagging. What had made him that angry? He seemed like a generally angry person, but this had seemed more, she wasn’t sure how to name it; intense, deeper. Also, had she triggered it? She'd ask him, if he'd just answer...

After Naruto woke up, she checked him over. He showered at her house and then they were on their way to their meeting point, Naruto's favorite food stand. She looked around, but didn't see Tatakai anywhere, so they decided to wait. They were early after all.

And suddenly he was just there, in front of them. They hardly had time to register his approach. Well, he'd used the roofs and jumped down, but he wasn't going to tell them. He enjoyed the startled looks he received from both Naruto and Sakura.

Tatakai looked as if he'd rolled in dust while being wet. Sakura had learned throughout the healing process that he seemed to work out hard, but to see him still heaving, not already cooled down, it made her realize the extent anew. He had trails of sweat all over his skin and the clothes showed big dark patches too. She really wondered what exactly he put his body through. Choosing to ignore it for the moment they entered Ichiraku's. He seemed calmer now, exhausted even, though only when he let his guard slip for a blink. He was really good at masking it.

Tatakai, during the meal was actually not all that uncomfortable. He mostly kept to himself, though he seemed to listen to Naruto's tales. His dark eyes kept track of them and his surroundings and his lips twitched now and then. He wasn't quite smiling, but his menacing aura had lifted a bit.

However, when Shikamaru's team joined them, Sakura noticed a frown had returned on the slave’s face. She wondered what was wrong, when she realized that she had missed to introduce him to the others! He hadn’t drawn any attention to himself either… He just sat there, arms crossed and acting as if he wasn't part of the group, neither of the new, bigger one nor of her’s and Naruto’s.

Sasuke was annoyed. While he had somehow begun to enjoy the time in their little group of three, when those others had shown up, he'd drawn back. All of them conversed so easily, but he just couldn’t be part of it. He felt left out… Of course he did. He felt anger rising, he was alone, he didn't have the luxury called “friends” and his family was unreachable, long gone. He was surrounded by enemies for all he knew, and who knew about spies? There were a few facts Itachi had shared with him long ago, but he wouldn't easily recognize any threats today. He balled his hands to fists, glaring at the people next to him again. He had already finished the Miso Ramen, which Naruto had insisted he try and was just waiting for them to finish their dull claptrap so he could leave.

One of the Kunoichis, a blond female, paused her gossip and turned towards him.

“Oh, who are you? Sakura, Naruto, you must have missed introducing us! I'm Ino….” Sasuke interrupted her shrill voice by smashing his hand on the table and got up abruptly.

“Annoying” He hissed, pushing his chair back. Then looked towards Sakura, searching out her eyes.

'Hokage Monument' He turned around and stalked off.

He'd gone home, got his sketching tools, nicked a towel from the kitchen and headed off. Breathing hard he went over to stretching, he'd run the whole way, pushing his limits again. He felt tired, but kept pushing, ignoring the thirst after eating that salty Ramen. He turned to practicing various Kata, pausing a few times, trying to sketch. He recalled various times Itachi had given him advice. Even imagined them going through fighting routines together. 

Even though times had been hard for Sasuke after the massacre, and not all had been good between his brother and him, he now realized that he'd treasured those lessons and missed them very much. Itachi finally had stopped saying “Another time” and become the brother Sasuke had always wished. The price had been high and painful though and that truth hadn't made it easier at all.

He was practicing vertically walking up some trees when he felt someone approach. He recognized the chakra signature as Sai's and jumped down.

Sai stopped about an arm length away. Sasuke noticed something long wrapped in fabric in the boy’s hand.

“Hi” Sasuke just nodded in response. There were hints of a bow, Sai was clearly respectful.

“I don't have much time. I have some missions coming up, solo mission tonight, and leaving for another mission tomorrow. I will be gone for a while, so I thought to bring it now...” He started unwrapping the brought object.

“This was my brother’s practice Katana.” He held it out towards Sasuke, who took it carefully. He put the scabbard in his belt, then drew the sword slowly. Sai made a few steps backward watching him. Sasuke checked the balance of the dull steel blade with a few swings, then put it back. The Katana was simple but an upgrade to the wooden stick. What Sai did witness next, was something Sasuke rarely ever did, despite his social status. He bowed in front of Sai.

“Arigatou, Sai” 

Sai smiled, not that fake smile, but a gentle genuine one. “Wannabe...come,... show me some of your Kata! I want to give you some pointers before I leave.” Wordlessly Sasuke complied with the invitation and moved into a battle stance, ignoring the insult. He took it slow the first time, then repeated the same sequence in a faster tempo. Some muscles hurt, but he ignored them.

“You are very light on your feet. Remember, for some blows and parries, it is good to have that connection with the ground.” Sasuke got back and did the routine again, this time focusing more on his balance points and when to put weight on which foot.

They had kept at it for a while, when at once, Sasuke stopped to clasp his right shoulder. Sai saw a faint light flicker below the hand that seemed to pulse, followed by a small chakra pulse coming from Sasuke's hand.

“What is it? What do you have there?” Sasuke turned back towards Sai, suddenly surrounded by coldness.

“Hey, what are you doing?” Sai asked again.

“Here...” Angrily Sasuke pulled back his sleeve, revealing the swirly seal. Making momentary eye contact with the other before turning to go. Everything was said. He made a few steps, when Sai’s shout caused him to pause.

“Wannabe, wait!” Sasuke turned around again, just to throw a dark glare. His body posture and eyes were spitting: What?!... Much to his surprise, Sai had taken off his jacket and was now lifting the sleeve of his own shirt the same way as Sasuke had, barely one minute ago.

“So am I.” Sai said monotonously. He let the sleeve slip back and picked up his jacket. “Arigatou, Wannabe, and don't forget… you are not alone.” He waved his hand, then smiled, his jacket lazily hanging over his shoulder. Soon he disappeared in the woods. Sasuke shook himself out of his frozen stare. Sakura had ordered him to come, so he picked up his things, still shaken, and turned to go.

The seal on his shoulder had given him the current location of his master. Making a quick stop by the house to return his sketchbook, he then set out for the training grounds.

_ “So am I.” _ The words were branded into his ears much like the image of the familiar swirl on the other’s shoulder… Sai was a ninja, as was he a slave.

He recognized Sakura quite easily: she was in the middle of a field, surrounded by about ten opponent that all looked like Naruto. A man and yet another Naruto were standing aside, back turned towards him. He approached at an even gait and stood beside the two without a word, watching the fight as well. The Naruto next to him greeted: “Hey!”

“Hn” They both turned back to the fight scene. One of the Narutos puffed out of existence, another following shortly. Sasuke peered to the man next to Naruto. Different than expected, he wasn’t watching the fight, but absorbed in a book. His face was covered halfway by a mask, one eye by a Hitai-Ate he wore lopsidedly. Sasuke caught himself staring at his gravity defying gray-silver hair. This man seemed too young for such a hair colour, though he was clearly older than Naruto or Sakura. As for a ninja, he showed little interest in the fight and his posture was horrible. Suddenly the one in question snapped his book shut.

“Alright kids, playground’s closing now.” He put the book away. “Let’s start the mature battle!” The man jumped right in and Sasuke observed this new addition to the fight, deconstructing his movements and techniques. He was so focused on observing the so called “mature ninja”, he didn't notice Naruto turning, only reacting when he saw a movement at the edge of his vision, quickly pulling his Katana.

“Wow… wow, calm down. I mean, no harm… Wait, you actually have a Katana? Sakura got you one?”

Sasuke let the blade slide back into the sheath.

“Anyway, if you got that great of a reaction time, maybe you should participate in here, spicing things up a bit!” Sasuke tilted his head, skeptical.

“Oh come on, it will be fun!” Naruto had grabbed his arm, pulling him directly into the center of action, but Sasuke broke away, slamming his feet into the ground, sending a piercing gaze to Naruto.

“Your choice, Teme” The blond boy shrugged and rushed away. Sasuke shook his head and turned his back to the fight. He brought out the towel he brought with him and covered the eyes. He knotted it in the back, efficiently creating a blindfold. Then he drew the Katana and calmly began a routine, trying to feel the new environment. He tried to locate the others with his mental senses, not approaching them physically.

00000

Kakashi called his team together, pausing the mock battle to point out some issues and strengths. Then he let Naruto recite his observations, eyes wandering, listening still. He’d felt the presence before, but hadn’t had a reason to properly look. There was a boy at the far side of their clearing, graceful and deliberate. He wasn't moving fast, a bit like a dancer with his sword and in tune with his surroundings. Kakashi was surprised once he recognized the blindfold the youth was wearing.

The others had followed their teacher’s gaze as well and were now watching the show. 

“Hmm, his form is nearly perfect. Seems like that kid has received quite some Kenjutsu training before, Sakura. Well, let's say hello.” Kakashi strode towards the sword wielder and stopped when he was barely within range. If the boy had noticed him, he didn't show any direct reaction. Kakashi was prepared to move when the other got close, but the boy, even though in close proximity, never even touched him, neither with the Katana, nor with his body. The boy’s routine actually lead away from where Kakashi stood, intentionally or not, he didn't know. Taking a closer look, he saw, that the towel that hid the youth's eyes, seemed to cover up his vision quite thoroughly.

Under closer observation Kakashi could make out slight muscle quiverings, an obvious sign of exhaustion, which the boy tried to hide in deliberate moves. It seemed this one was very determined to get his strength and stamina back. Sakura joined him and was observing similarly in silence. The whole performance made Kakashi just more curious to what this youth in front of him was capable of, especially in his weakened and visually disabled state. His curiosity took over and he made a swift mock attack, just to test his reactions. 

The change in tempo and posture was immediate. The boy located Kakashi quickly, before he started a series of offensive moves, forcing Kakashi to retreat backwards. Finally drawing a Kunai, Kakashi blocked the next incoming attack. The youth didn't engage in the power battle, but quickly moved his blade away. It was only a practice sword, though made out of steel to withstand a ninja's possible force.

This kid seemed to rely on speed and technique, a good thing, he didn’t look like he’d been eating well. No physical strength to work with what little muscle mass he seemed to possess. Blocking another incoming attack and getting blocked himself the next second, Kakashi chuckled to himself. A very capable sword master indeed. This persona, whom Sakura had explained earlier to be her slave, had just become very interesting. A mystery to solve. Kakashi beckoned Sakura to join him. Using hand signals, he let her know to attack the boy simultaneously from the other sides. The youth reacted by jumping high at the last second, blocking and attacking with the momentum of gravity a moment later.

As their fight went on, his movements were getting sluggish and slow. And soon it ended with the youth disarmed on the ground, a boot pressing down slightly on his chest. The ultimate defeat.

00000

“You lost” The matter of fact way, this was said, did little to cushion the words. But the foot had already left his chest. He felt anger rise, but he fought it down and removed the towel from his head. A hand was held out to help him up, but Sasuke ignored it, getting up by himself. He picked up the Katana and sheathed it, his heaving breath resounding loudly.

“So… I wanted to introduce you to each other… This is Hatake Kakashi, and this would be Tatakai.” Sakura said a bit nervous. Throwing her a glance, Sasuke filed the man’s name away.

“Now Tatakai, where did you get that sword from?” Kakashi saw the youth tense slightly. “Can I have a look?” A hand moved to the hilt quickly, feet assembling back into a battle stance, one could still see him breathing hard though. By the looks of things, it was of no use, Tatakai clearly wasn't willing to show them.

“I think that’s enough exercise for today.” Kakashi said lightly, all while pulling out his book and flipping it open again in dismissal. Hiding his face, he threw another glance at the youth, without the blindfold on his features were only partially hidden by long bangs. Kakashi couldn’t help but consider that he looked remarkably similar to Sai, as far as facial features went. Of course the gravity defying hair as well as the cut were nothing like Sai, as were the facial expressions, but as far as genotype went, they could have been brothers.

But with those long fringes framing his face, it reminded Kakashi of someone else, another youth who unfortunately was no longer with them. The kid hadn’t even died on a mission, but perished along with his clan that day... Not wanting to go any further into that direction with his thoughts, Kakashi pushed them away, finally returning to his lecture for distraction.

The rest of the afternoon was spent in the living room of one Uzumaki Naruto, the team conversing and discussing various battle techniques. Sasuke found himself listening, though feigning disinterest. Naruto had tried to get him to somehow join their conversation several times, but had yet to succeed. As it grew late, Sakura said goodbye and they returned home. And again, she was reading at the kitchen table, quietly leafing through pages as he prepared dinner. Once they both sat at the table, she spoke up though.

“You should know, my team and I will be leaving tomorrow afternoon for a mission for about two weeks.” Sasuke kept his eyes on her. “I’d like you to look after the apartment during that time. I'll leave some food money on the table like last time. Should we delay and you run out, go to the mission office in the Hokage building and inform them that I sent you. Should you need anything else, or need help with something, here you have Shikamaru's address and a list of places he likes to frequent. According to him, he should be around mostly….” She said handing over a sheet of paper with the information. “You are free to use the training grounds and do whatever you like. Just don't leave the village borders, and don't get into trouble while I'm away, alright? And if you are injured, please go to the hospital!… Anyway, let's eat. This smells awesome, Tatakai.”

After washing the dishes, Sasuke went over to Sakura to follow up on an offer to borrow some books. The rest of the evening they sat together in the living room, reading their chosen books before eventually retiring to their respecting rooms.

00000

The next morning, right after breakfast, Sakura went packing. When she was done she approached him for a another medical check up. His resolve against it was already crumbling. He definitely was in quite some pain after training so extensively yesterday. She didn't do it as thoroughly as at the first examination, but he still felt tons better afterward. The morning went by at a medium pace and before he started cooking she held out a list of chores to do. Later she asked him to follow her to her room. She started searching some things, assembling them in a bag. He felt somewhat awkwardly, unsure about her actions and his need to be here. 

“As you seem to be competent with a Katana, I thought you might want to practice with some other ninja tools too, so here.” She handed him the bag. “You can borrow them as long as you like. Also, there are a few more books that could be of interest for you,…. Oh and I told Shikamaru to check in on you. He was with us at Ichiraku’s this morning.” Sasuke listened only with one ear as he stared at the bag now held by his hands. Never would he have thought of such approval and support. He indicated a bow with his head, put the bag back into his room.

The meal was spent in relative silence. Sakura occasionally spoke or probed with a question, though the maximum she got was a “hn”. They were heading to the bridge, where they would meet with the rest of the group and Shikamaru, whom she had asked to come also. Sasuke took a step back when he realized just with whom Naruto was bickering.

“...dickless, proof it to me, I won't believe you until then...” It was this Sai-guy, with his funny attire.

“...Oh, hey Sakura, Teme...” Naruto interrupted Sai when he spotted the newcomers. Sakura waved in response.

“Hey Ugly!” Sai ‘greeted’ Sakura, then his eyes flicked over to Sasuke “Oh, it's you...” Sai smiled his creepy smile, then moved suddenly, drawing a Tanto. Quickly Sasuke blocked, drawing his Katana reflexively. “Good reaction time” Sai nodded approvingly.

“Guys, Sai, stop it!” Sakura rushed in, grabbing Sai at his collar and smashing him down. “Sai, what was that about? You really should learn how to greet people! You can’t just go attack people.”

“I knew he'd get it in time.”

“You can't know that... You never met him!”

“But I did. After all, it was I who gave him the Katana.” 

“You two know each other?...” Sakura’s eyes grew big in surprise.

“Yes, Wannabe and I met a few days ago.” Sai started grinning. “… See, I can make a friend, all on my own. It appears those books weren't so bad for advice in achieving friendship. It was actually quite easy.” Sasuke stared at Sai, confusedly. Sai considered him a friend? And what books was he talking about?

“Alright Sai, I'll still introduce you two properly. Tatakai, this is Sai. Sai, this is Tatakai,... not 'Wannabe',... you should reconsider your nickname giving, it's not very polite to call people something like that. Also, don't you think it is a bit early to call it friendship?”

“Actually there are quite a few characteristics present, which according to my books do define a friendship.”

“Hey Tatakai, that’s awesome, let’s be friends, too!” Naruto butted in. As if he wanted to make in impression, he jumped up and playfully balanced on the railing of the bridge. Sasuke just glared at him, then turned away, sheathing his sword. At the same time, Sakura spotted someone, winking and calling out. The guy faintly greeted back and joined them, hands in his pockets.

“Alright Tatakai” She said. “This is Nara Shikamaru, he kindly agreed to come over before we leave. I told you about him this morning. Shikamaru, this is Tatakai.”

“What a drag, Sakura... And all this for an introduction?” Shikamaru yawned, but Sakura just ignored the comment.

“Hey man, you play shogi?” The question was directed at Sasuke, who regarded him irritatedly. Then, he just nodded. “Cool. Let’s go play then. Kakashi's habits are troublesome, no one wants to witness his excuses.” 

“Great. Well then, we gotta go, too. See you, Tatakai, Shikamaru. Take care.”

And so Sasuke found himself playing Shogi with a stranger, technically free to do as he pleased for the first time in very long. He found himself confused at the sudden freedom, at the possibilities he hadn't had all this time. However, he was determined not to let this time go to waste and figure out some things. The possibilities had kept him up at night, despite being so tired. Now he finally had a possibility to track down his brother without someone constantly breathing down his neck. No one around to suspect something all the time. He'd use the time, yes he would.


	3. Recognition

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> once again thanks to Nackmu for her beta-work. well, the last chapter got no reactions here, so far, but I'll share the third chapter anyway. I hope you enjoy!

_ “You and I are flesh and blood. I'm always going to be there for you, even if it's only as an obstacle for you to overcome. Even if you do hate me. That's what big brothers are for.” _

_ -Uchiha Itachi _

“Are you sure you want to make that move?” Playing Shogi with Shikamaru had proven to be a challenge Sasuke enjoyed. This man didn't seem to mind his silence, he complained about it being “troublesome” at times, but it seemed more out of habit than any real bother. Sasuke lost the match and felt reminded of a time when he used to play with his elder brother, who didn't spare him either. Shikamaru turned out to be a brilliant strategist and Sasuke found himself wondering how he and Itachi would get along.

After playing some matches, Sasuke took his leave and finally headed to the public library. He was eager to learn about the common knowledge concerning the massacre these days. Soon he sat down at a table, opening a book about Konoha's history.

According to the writing, the tragedy had stricken the Uchiha clan at one single night. His clan. It had happened without any warning. Everyone had just been gone the next day and the other villagers looking for his clan had found the Uchiha district in flames. The fire, black in colour, all over the district. It had burned through the night without drawing anyone’s attention. Its source could not be detected, nor could the flames be extinguished. At some point later that day it had stopped though. Just like that. No sign of what had caused or quenched it. It was guessed that the initiator had run out of chakra and/or died, but all of that was just theory.

Reading the passage, Sasuke couldn't help but remember the night. How his brother had held him close, refusing to let go. How he had dragged him away from the sight of his life burning to the ground. How Itachi had repeated the words he had said the day before it all happened.

_ “I'm always going to be there for you,… even if you do hate me...” _

Taking a deep breath Sasuke continued reading: Once the Konohanians had been able to enter the compound… after the fire had cooled down and all, apparently not much had been left. The fire had spread from the clan head's house in the center and had turned everything to mere ashes. No bodies were found near where the fire had broken out. It had probably destroyed them all. In those areas spared by the flames, all corpses were found stricken down by blade. It was one of the cold cases in Konoha's history. There were speculations that it might have been caused by some internal quarrel of the Uchiha. No organisation, nor person had ever claimed the massacre to be their doing, and no Sharingan-user had ever appeared afterwards either. Later, the clan was considered extinct from then on.

Sasuke shut the third book he had been consulting, put it back on its shelf and left the building.

He’d gotten the information he wanted. The more detailed history books got it fairly well, except one thing: Some had survived.They were just in hiding and him being one of them obliged him to be extra careful in this village. Even after eight years, if they had seen it before, people would still be bound to recognize a Sharingan. Good thing he was always very diligent when using it. He decided to go to the Hokage Monument. Up there, he held the practice sword, as if it would give him comfort. Anger built up once more and for the first time after his return to Konoha, he purposefully sought out the Uchiha district with his eyes. Or rather what was left of it, angry at Itachi and his vague answers.

For peace, Itachi had said. For peace he had slaughtered his own family. He'd claimed, that it had been the only way… that more lives would have been lost, had he let them live. Not once had he denied to be their murderer.

At first his younger self had been so very angry. The grief about the loss was too much to handle for a child. Often Itachi had had to hold him in a tight grip, while Sasuke struggled and fought until he'd tired himself out. Itachi never had complained, he only had said, that it had been to protect his little brother too. Itachi had borne the loathing, the hatred, all the lashing out. He'd borne it simply, without fighting back. He still set ground rules; he still raised him. He taught Sasuke to fight, but he never denied, nor tried to get close, when Sasuke's trust in him so obviously had shattered.

Sasuke remembered, he'd calmed down within a year. Itachi was the only family he had left, and though he trained him relentlessly, outside of that, he never rose a hand on him. He only ever looked at him with that awful hollow gaze. And sometimes, at night, probably when Itachi thought he was asleep, he could see his older brother sit next to the dying fire, staring into the night. Silent tears were running down his cheeks, glinting in the moonlight. And Sasuke knew, he could not understand what Itachi truly was. Maybe he never would. 

Itachi didn’t pretend, but his way of being still made no sense. He was tainted by his family’s blood, the stains darker than the night. He appeared cold and distant, barely human. Most of the time at least. But then there were moments like these, when the shell cracked and revealed this fragile something. It wasn’t anything like the loving brother he remembered. It was the guilt ridden appearance of an old man in a body too young, that had faced and fought the cruelty of living too early, for too long. It was the appearance of a child, tired of life. Lost in a world that had forced him to retreat deep inside, so much he’d forgotten how to be true to himself. The face of indifference he wore every day may have been a lie just as much as it may have been his way of living. His only way to deal with reality every day.

Itachi felt pain; he knew what he’d done. It was obvious that Itachi was not what Sasuke sometimes made him be in his mind. It wasn’t that simple as to define him only through the actions of that one day when he’d made Sasuke’s world crash down.

He wasn't a madman, nor simply the murderer of their family. He was also a victim, probably even more so than Sasuke himself. That he had indeed loved his family. That his reasons must have been pretty severe. And that he was breaking anew, every single day because of what he'd done. Dying slowly… unrelentingly.

Sasuke, who just now noticed that he'd been walking. His feet had unconsciously led the way until he stood in front of the gate, which had once signified the Uchiha compound. The land behind it had been declared another training ground. It was still littered with ruins, halfway overgrown and painfully bare at places where the earth had not yet recovered to produce fruitful soil.

Mechanically Sasuke lifted a hand to open the gate, entering slowly. The terrain lay deserted, the ruins looked haunted, no trace of recent human activity to be found. Sasuke supposed people avoided this place if they could help it. His heart was beating hard, he would never have dared to come here if he had to tell Sakura about it. But now that she had left on a mission, this place, where his childhood had begun and ended, it pulled him in like a moth to a flame. Debris and weed covered the ground, but the layout was still ingrained in his brain. This place has once been his _ home _. His slow steps never wavered as they retraced the way to where their house had stood.

The faded street recalled memories. Itachi's silent panting as he pulled him along that night. And the tears of blood when he had activated the ultimate fire technique, Amaterasu, the black fire.

Sasuke stared at a monument, standing where their house had once stood and might have shivered. Pulling his white loose shirt tight, he took a step back. Wrapped around him like that, his old clothing was a strange comfort at this unwelcoming place.

He raised his hand and retraced the kanji for his clan’s symbol that was engraved into the memorial. In the middle, a small insignia described his family’s rise and fall in brief words like an ordinary tourist information. The other three sides of the monument were listed with the names of all victims. His own was there too, so was Itachi's.

Itachi, whose only wish had been to live a peaceful life; Forever denied to his brother, who had borne the hatred and who accepted him back, when he began to see reason. His Aniki, whom Sasuke terribly missed.

But Sasuke hadn’t come to this place to drown in grief. This was a training ground now, so he might as well use it as one. Thus, he turned away from the uncomfortable memories and started with some exercises.Trying to overpower himself, he ignored his exhaustion, as usual. He welcomed any distraction from his emotions. He all but collapsed on the ground late at night.

The next days he was either training, doing further research about the political situation back then, holding out an eye about anything that could indicate his brother’s whereabouts and occasionally playing Shogi with this guy, Shikamaru.

What Sasuke didn't know was, that someone was watching _ him _; not all the time of course, but occasionally. He didn't realize he'd had awoken that persons interest, otherwise he'd been more aware.

00000

Team Seven's trip was uneventful at first. It was actually a series of missions in one. They were traveling for three days, infiltrating some areas less under control of the Kage and therefore more so involved in rogue ninja business. Gathering information on the current status of things, if possible, they would also do some high paying missions to gain an extra fund for Konoha. One evening in the inn, Sakura finally managed to catch Sai alone in their team’s room.

“Sai?” He looked up from his sketchbook. “May I ask you a question?” Sai laid the pen down and looked at her expectantly. The gesture showed her that she had his full attention.

“You and Tatakai, how…?” She paused, what did she want to ask exactly?

“Sakura, I read that friendship is built on trust. And as I intend to keep that friendship. Whatever you want to know about my new friend, I'm afraid you have to find it out on your own.”

“But he agreed to be your friend!?” She waited for an answer but he didn't provide her with one. If Sai didn't want to or didn't think it be important for her to know, he wouldn't dislodge any information. Being sure about that so far, she turned to the wall and tried to sleep. She really should stop thinking about Tatakai now. She had a mission to accomplish and needed to be top fit for it.

00000

The next morning found her and Sai individually and with their own skills to go gather intelligence. Sai, being a user of the ink-Jutsu, sent out some mice. The small rodents weren’t of flesh and blood but chakra-based ink. They could serve him as an extended arm or, as in this case, aerials, sending information about pictures or sounds to him from a place beyond his physical presence.

Sakura went to town as a healer. People always got chatty when you do them a favor - and there wasn’t a greater favor than releasing someone from their pain. Sakura knew that.

For his part, Naruto had stationed himself at the counter, knowing the worth of the exchange of information that happened in such places. And it didn’t take long before he got into a first conversation. It never did. He was a magnet for casual chat, that was his talent. 

Kakashi in the meanwhile had an interesting encounter.

The silver haired teamleader was walking towards the somewhat hidden “Mission Office”, one of the places where roque ninjas could offer their services or where one could collect payment for a mission completed. Kakashi had to wait at the entrance hall until the current clients were finished. Finally he heard chairs creak, the door opened and two guys emerged. One of them wore a mask, just like him; The other had gray, gelled-back hair. The gray-haired one loudly talked to his companion, who made a quite pissed off expression. Kakashi observed them from the tail of his eye, pretending to study an information board on the wall. Both of them, even though they were definitely suppressing their chakra, had a distinct dangerous aura about them. But what stroke him most was not the invisible aura, it was their clothing. Both wore long black cloaks with a pattern of huge, deep red clouds, edged in white. He'd only heard about one group that had worn such cloaks a long time ago. Kakashi thought they had pulled a great army down with their fall. What were they called again? He couldn't quite remember. So some apparently had survived… He had to inform the Hokage about this.

When the two strangers had left through the front door, and Kakashi realized belatedly that he’d held his breath. He was called into the office.

“Finally” He let out a sigh and took a seat. The room was slightly dusty and had paper stacked in neat piles on the desk. More scrolls were stuffed onto shelves all around the walls.

“So, you'd like to know about available missions and ransoms?”

“Yes, please.”

“Well, there are plenty C and B ranked missions left. The A-ranked ones just got taken. Except of course the open ones, those are ‘first come first serve’...”

“Interesting clients, you have.” Kakashi said while looking around.

“Ah yeah, that would be Hidan and Kakuzu. They have one hell of a mission record, wouldn't want to mess with them. The first is way too cheery and the other way too greedy, scary combination, I tell ya.”

“Haven't seen those cloaks for a long while.”

“The cloaks? I wouldn't know much about it, and besides, I don't gossip too much about my clients.”

“Of course, you don’t… Were they the ones taking care of all A-ranked missions?”

“Hm… Maybe...”

“And all the high paying ones too, I assume?” Even if the employee hadn’t had such a miserable pokerface, Kakashi would have know by now. He had an excellent sense of when people were lying or simply hiding information from him. During his exclusive training, he’d been taught in interrogation methods, which were more subtle than breaking every single bone a human body provides. Over the years, Kakashi had refined those techniques and aligned them to his own style.

“Not quite, no.” The man lied cheerfully, directly to his face.

“Well, frankly spoken, I’m not looking for any mission below A-ranked ones.” Kakashi said, getting up.

“I’m really sorry we couldn’t help you, Sir” The man said, getting up as well, wringing his hands. Not being able to fulfill a service his client, he was truly upset. Poor man.

“No, it’s my fault getting to you so late in the day. I should have known by myself.” _ Besides, you did help me _, Kakashi added in silence. Maybe his team wouldn't get the kind of mission here he was aiming for, but that short visit would still be a long report to write without it.

In the evening the four ninjas sat together back in the inn and gathered what they had found out.

00000

Sasuke was not just tired, no. Exhaustion caused him to tremble, the effort he’d put into the workout bringing him to his limits. He'd been going at it for the whole morning, the painful memories of the new training field driving him forward. He indeed had found that this “training field” was pretty much abandoned. It was more a maze of overgrown ruins and wild nature than an former residential district now. Occasionally, when there was nothing specific in view, Sasuke could almost think he was back in the woods with Itachi, free and unbound. 

But somehow, this only fed on his anger. On shaky legs he got up, to go through the sequence once more with the sword. He was panting, trying not to fall. Just once more. His blows lacked in strength and his body ached a lot without the daily healing sessions Sakura performed on him. He hadn't trained that much, had he? But after having the Kunoichi to heal him for some days in a row, he'd completely miscalculated his actual limits… Of course he'd been able to do thrice as long as before capture. He just wasn't in shape at all.

Unsteady legs brought him back to the street the apartment was in. Back inside, he scrambled some eggs. While waiting for them to roast, he ate a tomato, savoring its taste. One of the greatest things about being in charge of the food: He could have as many tomatoes as he wanted. He could even choose them on his own by their color, size and smell in the store. He could decide when to get which to eat. And he could repeat this relish as often as he liked. The luxury of simplicity.

While eating his eggs, he had nothing to do but chewing, so he started looking around the kitchen. It was as clean as it had been when he had arrived, as was the rest of her place actually. In his mind it arose an older question again. One that, without ever being formed into words, had bothered him ever since he'd woken up in this apartment: He wasn't needed here.

She obviously was an organized person and had been able to take care of everything in here without a problem. He was sure about that because she'd pointed all assigned places out for him. She knew perfectly well about every cleaning utensil and their usage. And from the banter with her friends he'd even learned that she was on leave from her work in the hospital. Thus, this woman didn’t lack time to do all these things on her own, either. So, why get a slave? Why get him?

All he'd seen her doing was read, and medical books at that. Oh, and she insisted on healing him all the time. Irritated about rather being used as a healing dummy than a simple, normal housekeeper, he shoved the remaining eggs into his mouth and got up to clean the plate and pan. He hadn’t agreed to that. Playing a house-elf was one thing, but how far would the study of his physics go? What if she’d insist on examining his eyes one day? He couldn’t let her do that. He had to think of something... He shook his head to clear his thoughts. That was something he still could think about later.

Already, he was itching to train again, but he knew, he’d better give his body some more rest. Otherwise he probably wouldn't be able to move at all tomorrow. Angry about not being able to distract through physical activity, he entered the living room. Grabbing a few of the medical books he'd borrowed from her, he sat down to read.

He'd find something to reduce the ache in his muscles on his own, finally. If he was able to find a way to “heal” himself, he’d be more independent from Sakura, plus she would have less arguments to “check his body”, or his eyes.

00000

Sakura sat on her bed in the inn's room. Sai was already out and she somehow felt alone. Nothing to do at the moment, nothing interesting to read, she let her thoughts fly. It was no surprise when they sneaked to that good-looking taboo subject of hers, now living with her in Konoha. She wondered what Tatakai was up to right now.

She looked over at Sai's empty cot. The early morning usually called him out to draw and she missed the presence of another human being, of simple company. It wasn't that her team wasn't good friends. It was just… she found no words for whatever was bugging her. She just didn't want to be alone right now. It had been that way ever since her parents had passed, though she refused to think about them too closely.

She thought about Tatakai’s quiet presence in her living quarters, slightly grasping onto the thought, that Sai really had been the first one to befriend him. Though to her, Sai's exclamation still wasn't fully proven. What had Sai done right to crack that shell of distance and silence where she had failed? Had they even talked? Sai's answer seemed to suggest it, though she just couldn't imagine it somehow. Why was she thinking about this anyway? It was all fine the way it was now. She couldn't expected to just become friends with someone she'd bought, someone she literally “owned”.

Reluctantly she got up from the bed and checked her clock. They'd meet up in half an hour and then head off again. So she’d better push the subject to the back of her mind and face the current challenge: their mission.

00000

“So, where did we let off yesterday?” Kakashi asked into the circle. His eyes looked small and a little tired, as they mostly did in the morning, but one should not be fooled. The ninja was always present with all his senses, whether he was reading, sleeping or just looking tired.

Naruto continued to explain what he had learned from several locals and strangers in the bar. After his recite, they resumed that it contained much information about everything and anything, but nothing specific enough to help their mission (much to Naruto’s disappointment). After that, Kakashi told them about his discoveries in the Mission’s Office:

“All high paying missions were taken already, most likely by two guys with black cloaks with red clouds. I don't remember the organization’s name behind that insignia, but it highly worries me that they still seem to exist ... So if anyone sees one of these cloaks, retreat and tell me immediately. Don’t even try to talk to them! Just avoid contact. Those or no candidates to try new things. You’d lose, that’s for sure.”

00000

The notes on the sidelines of the book he was reading had taken Sasuke’s interest pretty quickly. It was very informative to follow them. Many notes were quite factual, though there were some quirky ones, too. On one page, there was a formula, and below there in thick letters just one word: failed. According to her notes it had been tested on Sai and was a recipe to some nourishment pill. Apparently it had made him sick which she had approved with a huge “!” and Sai’s claim for it to be unbearable in flavor, was challenged with doubt if Sai was even capable of judging taste. Her remarks caused Sasuke to snort.

Sasuke also found handwritten alternatives next to several plants and their abilities and where to find them. She even had left page numbers for further information, either within the book or more likely in others, too! That woman really was organized. Worse: she was a maniac; Acribique. He shook his head. It was insane. He grabbed another book, moving on, just to… more notes.

Another reference. He stared at it. A cooking book, seriously? Well, that one caught his interest and he got up again. Sasuke hadn’t had need of one before, here, but could easily guess where to find cooking books in a maniac’s house: He went to the kitchen, searched through the cupboards. He picked out the one mentioned, walked back to the table, sat down and started flipping through it in expectation.

But this book was also full of notes!? Seriously? Apparently she was a cook, too… So, why the hell did she need a slave? It couldn’t be just healing, she worked in a hospital.That made no sense. It was so ridiculous in fact, he refused to even consider it. It wasn’t like slave’s went out of their way to get injuries.. and she couldn’t have known he'd go off training like that! And his health was quite alright now, and visibly so, well, ignoring the fact that he was still a bit underweight…

Sasuke gave up trying to think about a riddle he couldn’t solve alone. As long as he could keep her away from his eyes, she was no threat. He’d better just continue his observation on her and her true intentions silently and at daily base. What had he been looking up in the beginning anyway? Right, he had wanted to find out some alternative way to treat his soreness and he’d been lead to quite a bunch. He supposed, he'd be on the lookout for herbs in the future.

00000

Shikamaru took a stroll through the village. He'd occasionally been observing the new addition to Sakura's household, though it had been troublesome. The first day that guy had disappeared into the public library, not very interesting. Shikamaru decided to leave him be and check up on him sometime later in the evening. But Tatakai'd never returned to Sakura's apartment that night.

The following days, the slave had repeatedly led him to a location that Shikamaru was totally unprepared to visit again. The guy had entered the gate to a training ground, avoided by anyone he knew. It was the setting of a massacre about a decade ago and no one felt comfortable to train in such a sad place. However, as Shikamaru witnessed the rigorous training the object of his observation undertook, he supposed that, for someone with no relations to this very place, it was the perfect spot to train in peace. The guy certainly had received ninja training, that much was clear.

Soon Shikamaru started to notice that the visits of his charge to the public library not only were constant. On some local investigation, Shikamaru found out that no book had ever been picked up twice. Looked like he was a very attentive reader. Moreover, all books consulted had been about the politics of the past 20 years. Just then, Shikamaru realized having left the guy in the library that first time and tracing the very first subject of his research would have been an ideal opportunity to get the information he needed now. Knowing that first subject could have been a valuable clue to get deeper into the head of his target and there was a taste of regret in not having tried to catch it.

Shikamaru dropped by at Sakura’s apartment a few times, challenging Tatakai for a play of Shogi, as his opponent never once searched him out. But these visits had been as quiet as all of their interactions. Tatakai literally always had his guard up, face expressionless. His play was intelligent, making the matches enjoyably challenging. Though it also made Shikamaru wary of what this guy was scheming about, not so much at Shogi but in real life.

The most surprising change in the Shinobi’s research was presented to him one day when he got into Sakura’s home without an appointment. The moment he opened the door, he felt like entering an entire new world. Usually vacant areas as tables, chairs, shelves etc., everything but the ground was covered with herbs. Someone had laid them out, most likely to dry them. As he passed into the living room he saw hundreds of leaves hanging in midair all across the place. A closer look told him it was ninja-wire that had been spanned. Even Sakura who was a medical ninja had never brought it to that extend. The place looked more like a jungle in autumn than a living room. Curious. Very curious.

Even stranger: Tatakai laid amongst them, passed out, or sleeping, he couldn’t tell. He noted a cooking book next to the slave, as well as some of Sakura’s volumes of herbs. Laying there, Tatakai even looked a bit healthier than weeks ago. He obviously had gained some weight. He must have started some kind of self-treatment through Sakura’s medical books.

Tatakai’s absence that initial night when Shikamaru had first been assigned by Sakura to keep an eye on him still bothered him though. He indeed wondered how he could manage to get that man to spill anything clue-worthy, or really to any talk at all. 

00000

One sunday afternoon found Sasuke taking a stroll through the school grounds of the academy, where he’d gone to school, long ago. Leaning against the gate post, he stared at the swing which hung there momentarily abandoned. Last time he'd been here, he’d been eight and his world still complete. The swing... he vaguely remembered a blond boy... often sitting there, alone. And once again it reminded him that all his family and friends from back then were all gone now. Angrily he passed the playground and quickly entered the building.

The hallways were empty of people, but the far wall was showing off a series of framed pictures. He moved closer, seeing that each frame held a dated group picture of academy students. It dawned to him that he might find some people he used to know on there, and quickened his step.

Indeed, there was Shisui and his classmates! He'd almost forgotten how his cousin looked like. He stared at that one specific photograph for some time, before moving on. A few classes later, his elder brother, Itachi, joined this hall of fame. His appearance of course younger than Sasuke remembered, but it was his brother, nonetheless. He stared at the picture until he had it permanently burned into his memory. Somehow it was painful to see an actual visual of him. Especially one taken before the day that had changed their lives forever.

The display of the former, the good Itachi didn’t miss its effect on Sasuke: Memories came rushing back, memories he'd pushed back for years, innocent ones, of them playing in the backyard, of Itachi listening calmly when Sasuke ranted of how boring the academy hours were, of his brother tending to him when Sasuke was sick, despite their father’s orders. In all these years, Itachi had never changed the way he treated Sasuke, even later when it was just the two of them... Those memories hadn’t fit a clan-killing brother, they still didn't.

Sasuke honestly couldn't understand his brother, things just didn't add up. He'd ignored them most of the times. But in moments like these, they stood out in his mind like a stark white on a black background. He forced himself to move on. And there it was, the picture of his eight year old self, standing in the second row to the right.

Eyes wandering over his former classmates, he froze when he recognized the pink haired girl. She'd been in his class?!… How had he failed to recognize her? He looked closer, blond hair captured his attention, the boy from the sling, right next to her. That boy… was Naruto! God, who else had he missed? 

Searching for more familiar faces, Sasuke started looking for Sai, but couldn't find him, he however found Shikamaru. Sai then, oh well, at least one person he didn't have a shared past. Good thing it had been the apparent newbie, who got him to talk.

How much did he still look like the little boy he’d been? If he hadn’t recognized anyone of them, would they? 

The sound of a door opening somewhere in the building made him freeze at the very place he was standing for a split second. But Sasuke quickly regained his casual poise. Steps echoed the corridor he was in, becoming louder. The person came around the corner, entering his hallway. He tried to keep cool and naturally turned his head to throw a glance… Shit! He recognized the person quite immediately in the fluorescent light. The distinctive scar over his nose: That was Iruka, his former Sensei. This was no good. Sasuke hid his eyes below his bangs and turned to leave.

“Hey you, wait! What are you doing here?” Sasuke lifted his head, not daring to use the Sharingan even for a flash moment. He only stared at Iruka through his bangs. When Iruka got no answer, he got slightly pissed. Then a flash of confusion crossed his face. 

“Hmm,… should I know you? You seem familiar somehow …” Sasuke held the gaze forging a mask of impassiveness. He couldn't afford to slip up right now. This guy knew Uchiha and Sasuke clearly looked like one.

Suddenly, he felt another chakra signature, a familiar one. He heard the front door open.

“Tatakai? Are you in here?” Shikamaru was poking his head through a door. Sasuke turned to him and their eyes met. The Nara asked: “Up for a spar?”

“Hn” Sasuke lost no time to follow the opportunity presented and made his way to escape from Iruka, even though he wasn't really feeling social towards Shikamaru either. That was how they found themselves walking side by side away from the school grounds, neither sure where they were going.

“Your usual place?”

“Hn”

He realized too late that Shikamaru waited for him to take the lead. He obviously was in trouble: Where should he go now? And what did Shikamaru consider his ‘usual place’? The Hokage monument or the training grounds over at the old Uchiha district? For how long had he been spied on? Breathing in, he focused on calming down, he was probably just overreacting. Why would anyone suspect him of anything? Even if anyone knew that he had ninja training, which should be quite official by now through the training session he had with Sai. He'd done nothing suspicious, hadn't he?

Oh well, there was no reason for them not to go to the Uchiha compound. He wasn't known as Konohanian but as a slave from unknown origins, who had changed owners more times than he dared to count. It would be more suspicious not to go now. So he lead the way.

00000

“Interesting choice, but I suppose it's peaceful to train here.” Shikamaru commented calmly when they approached the gate of the former Uchiha district. He watched Tatakai’s reaction attentively. It was almost nonexistent, but still there. He stored it at the back of his mind, looking forward to pick up more of those little puzzle pieces to put together a behavioral profile, eventually...

One would have thought that a life without talking would lead to distinctive body language as a means of communication, but Tatakai just didn’t seem interested in communicating much at all. Shikamaru was still musing over the thought, when Sasuke suddenly stopped walking. Without much warning, Shikamaru's instincts told him to move. It had been a simple Kunai, but the attack had been quick and hard to trace. Shikamaru countered with throwing a Kunai as well, followed by kicking and blocking.

The use of chakra introduced itself slowly but naturally into their fight. That was when Shikamaru decided to take the next step.

“Do you know why everyone avoids this training ground?”, he asked panting slightly. The change of mimic, it almost reminded him of anger, but he just couldn’t make sense of that and he was given no time to think about it more, because his opponent slammed his foot right into his chest, sending Shikamaru crashing into a nearby tree. Coughing he got up.

“Uh troublesome. I was just trying to make conversation...” Instead of a verbal response, Shikamaru was quickly attacked again. However this time, he was prepared. He blocked and kicked the slave's chin which made him stumble backwards. Tatakai’s mouth had turned into a thin line which told Shikamaru that he had hit the right spot. He didn’t let him out of his sight as the other regained balance. Tatakai held eye contact as well. Visibly annoyed, he slowly drew his sword. He subtly raised his other hand, holding it over the blade and came to a stop. It was a neutral position, ready to defend or attack at whim.

Shikamaru felt that something about the fight had changed. The atmosphere was different now. It had gotten more serious, even though his sparring partner was hardly readable as it was. Shikamaru’s instincts were telling him that something was weird… The other simply seemed to wait now, irritatingly so. So, what was his strategy? Shikamaru knew he was missing something obvious, but he couldn't put his finger on it.. The other was a good strategist, but even though a Shogi board could tell a lot about a person's way of thinking, it usually was accompanied by additional information like through a conversation and body language. But both these resources were very reduced here.

Shikamaru construed that it was nearly impossible to tell the skill set or mindset of this individual currently. He was still tapping in the dark. The limited information he had allowed him to only do momentary steps, adjusting constantly as he went. This wasn't how he usually did things. His strength was thinking ahead, not improvising. That was Naruto's cup.

“You looked up quite a lot in Konoha's public library! Our city's history is an interesting choice.” As Shikamaru didn’t expect to get an actual verbal answer, he slowly took out another Kunai, still keeping his eyes trained on his opponent. He didn't want to reveal his shadow technique yet, however this change of atmosphere definitely made him wary. If Tatakai turned out to be no danger to Konoha, he could be a worthy asset. Even though a slave, he seemed to wear nothing restraining his chakra, which probably had to do with Sakura, but still. His instincts drove Shikamaru to be more on guard with this man. His interest in Konoha’s history was weird. No one knew his intentions yet and he seemed a master at hiding things. It was doubtful that he was a spy, as there had been no predicting that he'd be bought by Sakura and such. But whether this man was well-disposed towards Konoha or not, Shikamaru couldn’t tell. How was he supposed to find that out?

“What were you looking up?” Again no reaction. Sword raised, the other only waited.

Why was this slave so interested in their village? What was he looking for? The local public library only held non classified generic information, nothing that could be used against Konoha. Could there be any hidden information written down in the records? But they were meant for the public eye, considered safe for everyone to look through, even foreigners… It was a public library after all. And then again, the books the slave had been picking hadn’t been all that ancient. This couldn’t be just a random research subject to pass time. There must be something he was missing. He could sense it. It was as if the other knew what he was searching for and where to find it. He’d gone straight for those books and hadn’t ventured to any other subjects so far. What was his aim? He couldn’t be a spy… A spy wouldn’t go to the public library, but more likely try to integrate himself to gain trust, whereas this individual rather failed doing so. His insistence to remain mute only made him that much more suspicious, though.

As Shikamaru had already excluded to option of him being a spy, he had to find out who this other was. It bugged him not to know it yet, nor even having the slightest clue. That person and his behavior… It was clear that Tatakai was more than just a slave. This fight proved it once more that he indeed had been a ninja in the past. Just who the heck was he? And how was he connected to Konoha? 

“What connection do you have to Konoha?” Shikamaru tried it directly. The guy just stared at him, unblinking, looking like a statue.

Hopefully this fight wouldn’t drag on much longer. Shikamaru narrowed his eyes before he started a series of shots. However, his attacks went straight through. And even though the other hadn't moved an inch, he appeared unaffected. What was this? What kind of Jutsu did he use now? Shikamaru turned his head to carefully check his surroundings, when he suddenly felt the strange feeling lift and the ice-cold touch of a blade at his neck. Shikamaru held still, while Tatakai made his way around him from behind, the katana pressed against his throat with slight emphasis. When he was straight in his line of vision, a twitch passed the slave’s lips, a fainting sign of a smirk. So, he did have facial expressions.

Shikamaru felt the weapon being slowly pulled away. His eyes followed the blade until it was returned to its scabbard. Then, much to his surprise, his opponent took a step back and bowed in front of him, as if to take a call. Shikamaru being startled, missed his turn to bow before Tatakai turned around and headed for the exit. 

What had that Jutsu been? Could it have been an illusion? How unusual: most people preferred physical combat over illusionary confrontation. An interesting fact, though he supposed it made sense. The other’s body still wasn't in the best state, even though he must be better already. So illusions were a good option to keep ground in a one on one fight when having to deal with physical limitations. And his control over chakra must be pretty good too, if it had been a Genjutsu. But when had he called it into existence?

It seemed Tatakai had incorporated a reflection of himself into the surroundings. But even a simple technique like this would still require the use of hand signs.

Shikamaru recalled their fight while walking home. Tatakai indeed had had his hands out of his focus for a few moments first while drawing his katana, and then again while raising his hand over the blade. That must have been it. He'd made eye contact too, his dark eyes demanding attention. Shikamaru was quite sure of it now, and already thought about how to detect such things in the future and how to counter attack. The Genjutsu certainly had come out very cleanly, clearly proving that this Tatakai had some special skills in imagination.

However, the most interesting aspect was that Tatakai had tried to escape Shikamaru’s scrutiny with that kinda Jutsu. Shikamaru’s preferential way to get information, had been the technique of provocative questioning, here. The aim was simple: goading an adversary their reaction. Though Shikamaru didn’t get any verbal answer, which he hadn’t expected for obvious reasons, he got a very worthy information instead: Tatakai definitely hadn't liked being questioned.

00000

Sasuke calmly left the training ground. So Shikamaru had grown suspicious of him. If he had found out that he, Sasuke, had sought the public library, he must have been followed. And he still did because he had found him in the school today. Not only being interrogated was annoying Sasuke, also the directional questions bothered him. Shikamaru didn’t even try to hide his intentions. Sasuke had to admit that he kind of respected the Nara for it. But he wouldn’t make it that easy for him.

Sasuke guessed that Shikamaru wouldn’t follow him immediately. He had surprised him with his gesture of bowing, he’d seen it in his eyes, and Shikamaru would brood over it for some minutes at least. Good. To get rid of his guardian, Sasuke decided to move to the Hokage monument by body flicker. The technique allowed him to move at a high speed, nearly invisible. Exactly what he needed.

Sasuke checked if he had done anything suspicious to attract Shikamaru’s attention. There was nothing confidential in a public library. He'd simply been trying to piece together what kind of events had lead to his clan's massacre. And why Itachi possibly would have done it. The public library provided enough information of the time period to get a general idea. The times had been unstable, but the Third Hokage had done a pretty good job in keeping peace. He’d had trouble finding the information he’d hoped to find between the lines, though.

His thoughts wandered back to Nara Shikamaru. Had his guardian found out what kind of lecture Sasuke had been looking up there?... Good thing he hadn’t used the Sharingan on him. It would have identified him unmistakably as an Uchiha. Sasuke bet on Shikamaru being erudite enough to know about the signature Jutsu and recognize it, even though he most likely hadn’t had seen one with his own eyes yet. The Genjutsu used in their fight had been a regular illusion anyone could evoke. It wasn’t comparable to the visuality of a real Sharingan...

He also wondered what he should do next time they sparred. He could block off his hearing. Shikamaru wouldn't expect that and it would be good practice. He hadn't done traditional Genjutsu in quite a while...

His thoughts wandered to the time Itachi had taught him all about it. It had been torturous, energy sapping and intense. Yes, Itachi had been a harsh, but good teacher. And an awful family member.

Just what had led up to him killing off his own family, when he seemed so peace-loving?

Sasuke had so often questioned why, but Itachi had never provided an answer.

00000

Sakura turned the key to her apartment, entering it. She felt no one inside, but still called out. No sound but the echo, so Tatakai was out. After taking off her shoes, she went to her room to unpack. The apartment was quiet and clean as always. There was no sign of someone else besides her living in here. The door to her room hadn't been opened either. She put her bags down on the bed, pulling out the used cloths. She lumped them together in the laundry basket. There, she came across some of his clothes. Good, so he actually was living here and using this place like a home. A little more lighthearted and with a whiff of satisfaction, she started to put the clothing into the washing machine. The eco program would take about 2 hours, that she would be stuck at home. Usually, she did some cleaning in the meantime but as everything was already done, she had nothing to do. She wandered to the kitchen, sitting down on a chair. Everything was neat in here, too. Should she summon him? For what? Company?... He might be hanging out with Shikamaru, that would be good… Then she noticed strange a smell. It had been there the moment she entered the apartment, but she had not been paying much attention to it before. But in the kitchen it had increased tenfold, so that her brain couldn’t ignore it any more. She raised her head in astonishment: some dozen of herbs were hanging down from the ceiling. Flowers and leaves were bundled in clusters. She recognized Silybum marianum, Calendula officinalis and Tanacetum parthenium. There were even some Perilla frutescens and Artemisia princeps, and a few others she couldn’t identify without looking them up.

What had he been doing?

She sat that way, staring at the ceiling for an undefined time. She remembered having done the same thing in her early study years, just that the lines have been hanging in a corner of the study hall. Back then, Tsunade was quite mad when she found out, but Sakura’s passion for the herbal treatment had calmed her teacher down soon. Today, they had students who did those things for them. She only rarely did experiments… Sakura hadn’t expected that Tatakai would be interested in herbal treatment. It only could be for medical care because there were more suited plants when it came to taste. So, where was he? Collecting more plants?

He hadn't written down anything for her, though he should have known that she would be back any time now. She got up again, moving around, putting her bag away, trying to pass some time. Smiling she had taken note of the abnormally large collection of tomatoes in the fridge, especially compared to other foods. After showering and hanging up the laundry, she sat down in the kitchen again. It was late afternoon now, they had agreed to meet up at Ichiraku's at around six thirty, so she still had about three quarters to go. She finally touched her neck, pushing a tiny amount of chakra into the subjugation seal. It started glowing, then faded again a moment later. She felt the response a moment later.

00000

“Oh, welcome home, Tatakai. You already look much better!”

It was true: He'd gained some pounds since being here, and the sunlight had returned a bit of colour to his skin, though he was still naturally pale. He was wearing his old clothes again, his katana in the purple Obi. 

“My team is going out for Ichiraku's this evening, I want you to accompany us.”

“hn” His answer came as short as usual. He disappeared into his room, only to reemerge a short while later in clean clothes.

“So, what have you been up to? I see you collected some herbs?” He ignored her try to chat and show of interest making his way to the fridge, taking out a tomato.

“You really like those, don’t you!?”

Again, this absurd talk about the obvious. “Hn”

The girl chuckled at his response and got up to make herself ready.

They were still a little early when they arrived at the noodle stand. The walk there had been quiet and peaceful. They sat down at the counter and waited. He noticed the others before she did. Naruto entered first, followed by Sai. Kakashi appeared late as usual.

It turned into a lively evening. Sasuke observed the group dynamics quietly yet again. So this was Naruto, the outcast from school. Back then, he hadn't really been able to relate, nor had he been very concerned. He'd had his Uchiha friends, an amazing brother and no worries other than him being too busy. Now that he thought about it, he wondered why Naruto had been such an outcast in first place? 

“Hey let's do something with the Teme tomorrow.” Naruto said at once. Sasuke turned to look at him.

“We could train together, or maybe ask for a D-rank, for a change.”

“That's a great idea!”, she said excitedly.

“Well then, let's train tomorrow. It's getting late” Kakashi said, standing up. “Say seven o’clock?”

Naruto got up excitedly, laying an arm around Sasuke. “Yeah, let's spar tomorrow, ne?”

Later, in bed, Sasuke couldn't sleep. He kept thinking about Naruto, the loud, lonely boy from back then. Okay, he still was loud, but was he lonely still? He remembered how Naruto had put on a face of smiles and laughs most of the time, but the expression that had stayed in Sasuke's memory the best, had been the expression when he used to sit on the swing. Not playful, butalone, sad and lost. If Sasuke was honest, it reminded him of his brother. He'd often seen that expression in Itachi's unguarded moments. Back then, he hadn't cared so much, but now it bothered him. Did he, Sasuke, ever wear that expression himself?

Was his brother ever coming for him? What had happened to him anyway? Sasuke wasn't sure if he should trust these gut feelings anymore, telling him Itachi was still alive.

He clenched his fist, thinking of Naruto's words again. _ “Yeah, let's spar tomorrow, ne?” _ The bright smile, the friendly gesture. Naruto was trying to befriend him, that was obvious. Sai had been nice to him, too. And Sakura, she had taken off the chakra restraints, even though she had been informed the he wasn’t the typical slave, that he was dangerous. Fools! They let a complete unknown into their midst, without knowing of what he was capable of. How could they trust him? He just didn't get it.

Itachi came to his mind. Their clan had trusted him too, his kinsmen. They had known his abilities. So what was the value of trust? Still and again, in some weird way Itachi had regained some of Sasuke’s trust, and he knew, that this was more than just the reassurance of Itachi training him.

How could Naruto still have that innocent naivety about him? Or was that a facade like in the past? Which was the real Naruto? He still seeked people out like that, wanting to befriend them, though all these people, these children had always rejected him...

He, Sasuke, just couldn't do that. He'd never have the needed ease, nor courage to just approach people. Not as a kid and not as a teen. Besides, he had secrets to keep.

Yet, the Naruto he had met now was intriguing. This Naruto had kept on smiling, whether it was a true smile or not. Sasuke had lost his smile the day his family died. Yet, Naruto had lost his family even earlier. While Sasuke had at least the chance to have a family life, Naruto probably hadn’t. That must have been tough, growing up without people who cared for you. But that was the cruel part of it for Sasuke: He had all this and lost it. Naruto somehow didn’t… Would it have been easier to have no family from the very beginning then? No one to love, no one to lose?…

Sasuke must have fallen asleep at some point. It was already dawn by the time he woke up. He remembered that his mistress was back, so he had to get up and make breakfast.

He heard the shower was already going as he went to the kitchen. Breakfast passed quietly and soon they were on their way. Sai and Naruto were already there, making bets on how late Kakashi would be this time. Even Sakura placed a tip.

“Wanna bet too?” The question was directed at Sasuke, who just averted his eyes. He looked down the street, waiting for Kakashi to come. What he didn’t know was that the others weren’t that far with their estimation. They waited about half an hour for their Sensei, spending the time discussing some Ninjutsu techniques Sasuke wasn't familiar with.

Kakashi brought up his traditional excuse, smiling widely under his mask. During the way to the training ground, he briefed them of the upcoming exercise. Once there, they set it up quickly and started. It was a mixed teamwork fighting exercise, including the protection of an item on the ground. Subject was how to proceed when being outnumbered, infiltration and also combat strategy. In their case, it was always three to two people. As the groups would switch members, everyone would get to experience both.

Kakashi was pleased to see Tatakai actually participating in the strategy discussions, respectively in his own way. The team members occasionally managed to surprise him still, but he knew them all well. The most surprising though was the unknown addition they had. The slave-boy had obviously been trained, and he'd been trained well. He, though acting like a loner at any other time, had quite quickly adapted and efficiently worked together with whomever was in his team. He didn’t speak, but when he was teamed up with Kakashi and Sai, he quite clearly communicated per hand signs, and the plan he'd come up with, had actually worked rather well. His swordsmanship had improved a lot together with better stamina and speed. The boy had gotten fast in the past two weeks since they'd sparred last. It made Kakashi wonder what that this kid’s limit would be, and how far he was from reaching it.

Kakashi couldn’t help but also notice that as far as the similarities of look went, the boy’s expressions weren’t close to the blank look or fake smiles that Sai tended to have. Instead of a blank expression, this one had a guarded cold one. Kakashi supposed that it wasn’t a bad thing.

But there was another detail, beyond skill and physical constitution, that caught Kakashi's attention: Tatakai seemed to constantly be observing Naruto. It was subtle, but to Kakashi's trained eye, still noticeable. It was stronger when they were fighting in opposite teams, but also when teaming up, Sasuke had an special focus on Naruto as partner. What had lead to this sudden spurt of interest? What was he looking for?

00000

Sasuke enjoyed the activity. It had been so long ago, since he'd had done anything of that kind. The last time had been some time before their capture. It was complex, challenging and even fun. In addition to that, it gave him the opportunity to observe the others in a new setting. Strange thing was that only Sai and Kakashi were able to read his hand signing. Neither Naruto nor Sakura seemed familiar with it. 

But Naruto had changed a lot. He still seemed as obnoxious as back then, however while in combat, he definitely had gotten more focussed and it even seemed his insistence of playing pranks was paying out, sometimes. Naruto didn't look lonely anymore, his eyes had lost that desperation for acknowledgment. Within this group he seemed at home.

It reminded Sasuke at what he had lost. What he never would regain.

00000

Kakashi had declared the exercise as finished and they now were discussing it. Tatakai didn’t participate in the review and it bothered Kakashi. Tatakai’s input, especially since he was still new to the team, and obviously well trained, would have been very valuable. He wondered why he didn’t use the hand signing as a tool of communication now. Sure, signing was designed for communication during a mission, but as in his special case, he could have added his thoughts that way just as well. He was sitting, a little offside (though on purpose or not, Kakashi couldn’t tell) and observed the group interact. It was still a pleasant atmosphere.

After lunch break they would train independently or with partners. Kakashi used the chance to take Tatakai aside for another mock fight, wanting to test out the youth’s abilities.

Tatakai started out fairly harmless. His sword fighting had improved a lot, mainly his speed, as his form had been near flawless beforehand already. His stamina was better, too. The two weeks on his own had done wonders to the boy. He'd really been taking care of himself apparently. Still though, one could only get so far in two weeks... Tatakai was tiring out, at least physically. There, the first Ninjutsu tactic. Kakashi blocked it with one of his own. He definitely was good and would be an uncomfortable opponent, once he was back in form. Gladly there were no sides currently. He was great in one on one battles and had turned out to be a valuable team player as well. Kakashi pushed more, curious of what else this enigma had in stock.

Bright blue summoned lightnings were thrown after him. Thunderstruck, Kakashi blocked. A lightning Jutsu? And an unfamiliar one at that. This was turning out as very interesting. He countered and the fight took another step up. Kakashi was now starting to seriously evaluate the boy's skill level. He took note of the smirk that had appeared on his opponents face. Tatakai motioned to the side with his eyes. Kakashi dared to throw a quick look into the indicated direction. What was Naruto doing there? He focussed back on his sparring partner, but then, he heard Naruto move, followed by a familiar swishing sound of a thrown weapon. Kakashi sidestepped the incoming weapon easily, recognizing it as a Kunai. What was Naruto doing? This was not his fight. 

Tatakai did not seem bothered by Naruto’s interruption at all. In fact, he fell back, apparently content in letting Naruto handle it.

Naruto didn’t seem as pleased with that. “Teme, don't dodge. Fight!” 

He drew another Kunai to keep Kakashi away. Tatakai searched out Kakashi's eyes once more, now smirking. The blonde was going in head over heels like usually. Suddenly, Tatakai signed ‘Genjutsu’. The next moment Naruto was gone, the young man charged. Something was weird though, why was all sound gone? It couldn’t hurt to try the Genjutsu release.

“Kai!”

Sound returned with a snap. So, it’s indeed been a Genjutsu! He seriously felt played now, and Genjutsu of all things. It made Kakashi kinda mad. He hadn't noticed a thing, probably because he hadn’t expected one. Moreover, Naruto had been portrayed very well, like only a master of illusions could. But the kid gave him no time for further contemplating. The speed Tatakai attacked with now had accelerated again. Genjutsu must have been a way to recharge his physical strength. Now Kakashi really paid attention. This wasn't just a mock fight. He recalled the boy warning him of the Genjutsu. No one usually did send out warnings to an adversary. But he did. He'd signed it. Kakashi remembered having learned these signs long ago… in ANBU! An invisible shudder went through his spine. Now he realized what had been strange about the signing. Those signs were from the ANBU Black Ops, which was why both Kakashi and Sai had understood them perfectly and naturally, whereas Naruto and Sakura hadn’t.

Kakashi averted another attack with the katana. This was highly worrying news. How come a non-Konohanian, especially such a young one, knew ANBU hand signs? He was no old codger in disguise, was he? Kakashi had to find out immediately if this guy was a serious threat to Konoha or not.

00000

Sasuke was having fun. The fight had become more challenging as they went on. Good, he'd been itching for a decent fight, after all that thinking about Naruto's and his similarities. And it was really fun to confuse the Sensei, whom he had witnessed poking his nose into those Icha Icha paradise books, while he was supposed to watch his students who were working their asses off. That had pissed Sasuke off.

Naruto's base patterns were so easy to recreate in the Jutsu, his way of speech and all. As long as there was no reason or need to be creative, Naruto was straight forward. And Genjutsu had always been fun, even without the Sharingan. He had learned it plenty, especially for coverage.

And the gaze Kakashi had, just before he released the Genjutsu, and especially the expression afterward, it had been so worth it. Yeah, always expect the unexpected, old geezer. He hadn't had this much fun and this good of a challenge in a long time.

Then, some exchanged blows later, Kakashi's eye suddenly grew cold, colder than ever before. Immediately Sasuke was on guard. Maybe the old man wasn’t as easygoing as he’d thought… 

But nothing could prepare Sasuke for what happened next. Slowly Kakashi moved his hand to the headband that covered his left eye, lifting it up. Sasuke froze at the sight. How... How could this be? He was paralyzed. Was this a Genjutsu, too? It had to be.

“Kai!” Sasuke shouted quickly, but nothing happened. It was still there. A red iris with three tomoe spinning inside, the signature of the Sharingan. Right there, in Kakashi's uncovered eye socket.

Another Sharingan.

Sasuke began to shake.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Kudos and reviews would make my day. Please let me know what you think!
> 
> Also, Artwork to this chapter can be found here: https://www.deviantart.com/malvalunalynx/art/Dying-Fire-712147116


	4. Sharingan Kakashi and the Consequences

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> The title says it all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for reading!

Sakura ran up to the shaking body, she recognized this look, this behavior. The young man was going into shock.

“Hey, Tatakai! Snap out of it!” She grabbed onto his shoulders, but he recoiled violently, slapping her hands away. She wasn’t surprised by that and let off him. She knew she couldn’t help right now, but she’d be here, if he needed it. Breathing hard on all four, he was clawing at the grass with his fingers, gaze glassy and absent. Fists clenching, he blinked, then closed his eyes. After a while, his breathing started to slow down. 

When it returned to a decent pace, Tatakai moved again, sitting back on his heels. He slowly rose his head, scrutinizing Kakashi, who had covered his eye again.

Sakura was trying to understand what was going on. Kakashi surely hadn't used any weird Sharingan based Genjutsu on him, had he? She had only briefly read about those, but she'd never seen her Sensei use the Sharingan like that. Her attention snapped back when Tatakai finally got to his feet. He looked like he was about to kill. However, after a moment he simply turned away.

One moment he stood there, the next he was gone in a blur, taking the killing intent everyone had felt with him.

“What the hell just happened?” Sakura stared at Kakashi who was still looking at the place Tatakai had disappeared from. “Kakashi, what did you do? What’s going on?”

“I… euhm. Looks like he panicked upon seeing my Sharingan.” Kakashi said calmly. Sakura knew, calmness and cheer was his way to cope, but it still irritated her to no end.

“So, you didn't use any Jutsu on him then?”

“I didn't.”

“So, the Sharingan freaked him out?”

“Well, he looks old enough to have encountered it before.” Sai said as a matter of fact.

“Maybe it’s trauma,” Kakashi said. “If subjected to a Sharingan based Genjutsu, it can have devastating effects on the victim’s psyche. So, assuming he knows that the Uchiha Clan doesn’t exist anymore, he wouldn’t have expected to be confronted with it. It would have been like seeing his worst nightmare coming back to live if he’d ever met a real Sharingan.”

“Well, he'd have been a child when encountering it, right? Maybe he forgot until now? If the experience was bad, he might have suppressed the memory of it.” Sai said, his sketchbook in mind.

“Is it a good idea to press him for information in this case? Awaken more memories?” Sakura said with concern. “From a medical point of view, I’d rather wait and see how he copes.”

00000

Sasuke had to remind himself repeatedly as to why he had to refrain from going to the Uchiha compound. This was why he found his way to the Hokage Monument, to cool off. He knew, he had to keep himself from destroying anything, so he tried to go through his sword forms, tried focus and tune everything else out. Of course it didn't work.

That man had the Sharingan. A Sharingan. He couldn’t be an Uchiha though... Could he?

He positioned himself anew, repeating the steps, trying to utilize maximum power into the slash, but not losing balance afterward. He closed his eyes, mapping out the series of Kata he'd go through after another, preparing for the quiet deadly dance. No one interrupted him. No one had followed him. People usually grew suspicious of how he’d reacted, and he had expected some kind of check up... but nothing had happened yet.

He turned and swung the blade, switching hands, eyes still closed. He could feel some chakra signatures afar, but none that he recognized, and none of them were approaching either. One never knew though, he'd absolutely not be surprised if a blade suddenly met his own. He ran forward to where he believed was a tree, eyes closed. Solely relying on his memory, he jumped and ran up the trunk, flipping backward to return to the ground.

It reminded him of Itachi… Itachi, who had killed their whole family. Itachi who had dared to talk to him about hatred and praise, just mere days before he’d killed them. Had Itachi known what he was going to do at that point already? Had he hated them? Why had he done it?

Sasuke had thought about that many times. He’d asked, too, though Itachi had never ever confirmed or denied any guesses Sasuke had brought up. He'd always redirected his attention the same way:

_ “Never rely on your eyes alone, Sasuke, so that they may not be your downfall. Eyes are too easy to deceive and words easily mislead. The truth cannot be found with searching alone. Truth in fact doesn't truly exist. Everyone lives in their own reality, it is doubtful that you ever will be able to get a hold on all sides involved. Understand this: Only ask questions when you are sure you want the answer. And if you want the answer, never quit searching. Emotions can be wonderful, but they can also be a trap. I won’t deny what I did Sasuke, but no matter what happens, what decisions we both make, remember always, you are my Otouto and I love and cherish you!” _

Sasuke shuddered,  _ never rely on your eyes alone _ , he hadn't realized at the time that Itachi's sight was failing, hadn't guessed about the depth of his brother's words. At that time he'd been full of hatred still, full of blinding ignorance. But these words were probably the most direct Itachi ever said, had ever dared to say. The words had been full of double meanings, switching back and forth between subjects. Sasuke sensed that Itachi had known that his younger brother wouldn't trust nor believe him like before, likely disregarding his words entirely at that time, even so, hoping that they would hang on and maybe someday take root.

Sasuke hadn't forgotten indeed. He'd always been afraid that he was missing out on what Itachi truly had meant to say. Despite of what stood between them, Itachi had been the only one around he could trust even somewhat. Itachi's obscure way of speaking was still annoying him to no end. How had this brother he remembered so fondly, murdered their entire family in cold blood? Sasuke was missing so many pieces, and ever since he'd entered Konoha, he only found more pieces he didn't know how to fit. There were no real answers, the public library only shared generic information. It had given him an idea of the mood at that time, but he knew better than to trust the mentioned facts. And now that it turned out that Kakashi had a Sharingan...

... How much had the flames really eaten that fateful night!?... Had there been bodies left intact?... Had Konoha taken remaining eyes and transplanted them into other clans? Was that, how Hatake Kakashi had gotten the Sharingan? Were there more? Or, or were they Itachi’s… No, he refused to believe  _ that _ ! It must be something else.

In all honesty, all these questions scared him to the bone. He'd indeed started searching, and yet he wasn't so sure about truly wanting the answers. Itachi had warned him not to do this, but he just couldn’t help it.

Sasuke realized that he'd stilled his movements in favor of following his thoughts. He straightened up, stretching his limbs. This was hopeless, he might as well go home and prepare something to eat, keep himself busy there. 

Instead, he ended up aimlessly walking through the streets. Unintentionally, he avoided the street his mistress's home was in. Why had he ended up in this village? Why now? Why at all?

Had Konoha taken intact eyes of the dead and transplanted them into the living? Had they dared? The thought wouldn't leave him anymore. The concept of it, too gruesome to be true, however would explain Kakashi's Sharingan. Unspoken anger kept boiling on.

_ Emotions can be wonderful, but they can also be a trap… _ Sasuke growled, jumping on a nearby roof. A sharp whistle caused him to whirl around. There, a few roofs away was Naruto, calmly leaning on a chimney's edge. He waved when Sasuke was looking into his direction, sending a bright smile.

“Up for a spar? You look like you could blow off some steam.” Naruto said loudly from the opposite roof.

Sasuke narrowed his eyes. Naruto promptly took that as a yes, jumping him.

00000

Sakura was worried. Tatakai had always seemed so strong, as if nothing could touch him. For him to break down like this, she'd never have thought. She'd hardly thought about what he must have seen in his life. He hadn’t always been a slave. He once had another life, maybe similar to hers, or Naruto’s… She felt awkward not having thought about it before...

Had his reaction turned out so extreme simply because of the view of a Sharingan or was there more to it, like the others suspected? To react to the Sharingan like that, to recognize it at that distance... He definitely must have known what it looked like. She herself had never seen a Sharingan up close, had no chance to, though she was sure she’d recognize it, too, somehow. 

However, Tatakai had literally frozen, broken down. She'd heard stories of the Sharingan, but hardly anyone could tell what was true about it nowadays. Kakashi possessed the last Sharingan, but not even he had had insight on the clan's expertise with it. Luckily, he was on their team… People always got serious, almost angsty when someone mentioned the Sharingan. They had an unnatural respect for it. This being the case, there had been no reason to worry about ever getting to know some of the more uncomfortable aspects of it. All Sakura knew about it definitely, was that it helped tracking movements and had something to do with Genjutsu. Kakashi had never explained it to them, or made a demonstration, and they’d never asked.

She still remembered the killing intent suddenly being gone, not having realized its presence until it had disappeared with his departing. She still wasn't sure how he had left. It was like he had been there, and was gone the next, it had happened so fast. He had fled. She was worried as to where. Konoha was big, big enough to offer several places to blow off steam. Would the border patrols even see him leave if he was to flee the city at this speed? Would he dare? She didn't know what to do really. She could of course track him with the seal… Though she knew, the action would only be taken as intrusion and definitely be misunderstood. She also knew, he needed space to cool off right now, not some worry wart bustling around. Still, she wanted to know where he was at. She wanted to know why the Sharingan had ticked him off so badly.

Which was, why she ended up at Shikamaru's. His sharp mind was the only one she thought could maybe have a suggestion as of what to do. Both Sai and Naruto, as well as Kakashi were out of question. Kakashi was involved in the incident, Sai too… well… Sai-ish in understanding emotional reactions and Naruto, well, he had gotten better, but he was still hot headed and rash more often than not.

Shikamaru had let her in with a look as if he waited for her. Well, sooner or later, she would have come over… He had offered her some tea and she’d gladly accepted. While he was preparing the pot of tea, she sat down and waited. She’d better have asked for a glass of water only... When he was finally done, she stopped fiddling her nails and took the cup he handed over.

“Tough mission?” he asked while taking the seat opposite to her.

“Hugh?”

Shikamaru made a slight headsign. Her eyes followed it, meeting the cup, and her hands holding it.

“Oh, you mean my nail biting!” Her giggle came out high-pitched and she let her left arms slip under the table.

“Actually, I mean your nervous wobbling on the chair while I was making the tea” he corrected while tasting the tea.

“Oh.” Sakura’s left hand returned to the cup and she took a sip as well. No one could hide a thing from Shikamaru. She’d better go straight forward to it.

“It’s about Tatakai”, she busted.

“He's proven interesting, that's for sure.” he said, taking another swallow.

“Right, I asked you to look after him while I was gone...”

“... and now you want to know how it went.” His cup made a dull click on the table.

“Yeah. And…”

“Or what I found out?”

“Eh, no. I mean yes.” He confused her. Found out?... She needed to clear her mind first. Putting her cup to the side, she started: 

“We… Why I really came to see you is: Today, we convinced him to train with us. Kakashi was trying to evaluate his skill, I think, taking on a mock fight one on one with him. Tatakai seemed to enjoy it, having fun… I don't know what exactly happened, I was busy talking to Sai and Naruto, but next time I looked, the atmosphere had changed. I just saw Kakashi had his Sharingan uncovered and Tatakai falling to his knees…”

00000

Unlike the others which had said goodbye and left, Kakashi was still there. He wasn't sure as to what to do... So he absentmindedly walked to Obito's grave, as he so often did when he needed time to think. Technically, he'd have to report his discoveries to Tsunade. That boy knew ANBU hand signs.  Furthermore, the boy had acted as if knowing these hand signs was a somewhat normal means of communication, when in fact it was supposed to be a top secret one.  He didn't know what to make of that. Was there a leak? Or was there some connection between Tatakai and Konoha's Black Ops? 

As far as looks went, Tatakai reminded him a lot of Sai. Sai grew up as Danzo’s slave, and Tatakai was a slave, too. Could he have been part of Danzo’s department? Could he possibly be related to Sai? Sai had mentioned a brother before, but he had also said that his brother was dead and Kakashi had been under the impression that said brother wasn’t related in blood anyway. Was Sai lying? But how would someone from Danzo’s force end up in a slave house halfway across the country? Danzo would never sell someone he trained. If they didn’t meet his expectations, they’d be pitted in death matches against more promising candidates. Sai had let that shine through clearly enough. Had he been placed in the slave house for Sakura? But how would Danzo have made sure that Sakura would go there and pick him? He better go and ask Sakura how this situation had come to be!

So far, it didn't add up... A spy would not let on that he knew about this communication method, especially not, being able to read it. Neither the Danzo theory nor the spy theory made much sense, unless the spy purposely slipped up to get them off his trail.

And then there was his reaction to the Sharingan, which was the most puzzling. He hadn't realized it at the time, but Tatakai had thought it was a Genjutsu first. He'd only panicked after he'd confirmed that the Sharingan he saw was real.

He must have encountered the Sharingan when the clan still existed. Which would have meant that some Uchiha had used it on a kid. Why would someone do that unless the Sharingan user had felt seriously threatened? They would have been on opposing sides for someone to go that far. That, or the kid had simply been traumatized by someone who’d had the Sharingan on and looked scary therefore. To Kakashi, that seemed unlikely:

Tatakai's Shinobi instincts were formidable. After today, Kakashi was sure, the kid would be a challenge in a real fight. He seemed to know more than he let on, though he seemed unaware of half the things that tipped Kakashi off that something was wrong here . Sakura had described him the circumstances she had met him in and he must have had a lot of training to be able to brush up his skill again just like that. He’d be a great addition to their forces. But there was the catch:

Tatakai was not free to choose. He was a slave, no matter how Sakura treated him. In the end any oath Tatakai would give to Konoha, couldn't be trusted completely. It would hardly work unless if it came from Tatakai himself. This was different from Sai's slavery. He had been trained to serve Konoha unconditionally, been brainwashed to put the safety of this village before anything else. He could be trusted because of that, protecting the Hidden Leaf was ingrained into his very being. But no one knew about Tatakai's link to Konohagakure. And Kakashi was quite certain by now that there had to be one. While the boy didn't seem to have any animosity against Konoha itself, they would hardly be able to assure his loyalty. What would a place like this mean to someone like Tatakai? Releasing him from his mistress wouldn't truly change anything if Tatakai felt enslaved to the village instead.

Being a Shinobi of a Hidden Village required passion for it. After all, they were asked to die for their people every time they entered a battle. If one couldn't bring up that kind of commitment, they weren't cut out for Shinobi duties.

Kakashi knew, kids often entered the Shinobi academy without realizing what that really meant... they just grew into it.

That would be different with Tatakai. With his current skill set, he could do a lot of damage should he turn against them. They wouldn't be able to shape him as they did their kids. He obviously was fully trained, but they didn't know by whom. The techniques he'd used up till now had been from a wide variety, however with no clear signature. And Kakashi, the Copy Cat, definitely would recognize something like that. He wondered if Tatakai knew none or if he consciously avoided them.

Kakashi guessed him to be at least at Chuunin level… possibly even Jounin. And Shinobi usually were skilled in deception, so he wouldn't at all be surprised. It was as dangerous to trust as to assume things in their profession. Anything was possible. He knew, it would be hard, but he would need to look underneath possibly many layers to see into the depths to determine if he was a threat. And even though Kakashi trusted Tsunade, she after all was the Hokage... He knew, she'd be obliged to interrogate him about the ANBU signs, which would be a bit contra productive in this case.

If at all, they could only win Tatakai's trust by not turning him in, but by getting to know him by his own terms instead. Kakashi felt very divided about it, but for now, he'd probably wait. He still could go to Tsunade later, Tatakai was bound by seal, so they had time to sort this out.

00000

Naruto had maneuvered Sasuke back to one of the training grounds, where they could fight properly without worrying about the villagers safety or causing damage. It had been a good decision as Sasuke hardly thought about any consequences right now. He just fought, his anger boiling over. He didn't know how Naruto could still stand after their extended head-to-head.

Sasuke himself was barely holding up on his two feet, his stamina and strength still not at its fullest. Naruto of course had the advantage of those two, however, he also had been hit pretty badly by Sasuke, especially in the beginning. It was almost as if Naruto had let himself be hit, knowing he could take the blows, recognizing that the best medicine for Sasuke's rage was, to have something to focus on and avoid turning it to frustration by failing.

Then again, Sasuke had been much faster in the beginning, using his speed the first few minutes, before his body started failing him. Naruto had seemed unable to dodge incoming blows with that kind of speed. Sasuke knew, he'd be sore as hell by evening, but he didn't care. His anger was providing him with the needed adrenalin to carry on.

It was by no means a clean battle. This wasn't about strategy nor about defeating the opponent. The techniques carried out downright sloppy at times. Naruto had offered him a chance to seriously blow off steam, he had taken it. It was almost as if Naruto understood on some level. As if he had recognized his problem, deep down; Not the reasons, as they weren't needed to understand this kind of emotions. It seemed as if Naruto understood without needing to know. Without needing to know why he felt this way. 

When Sasuke finally collapsed, Naruto wordlessly let himself drop down next to him. They stared up into the blue sky, Sasuke too tired to really think. From time to time he peered over to the boy he used to think of as annoying, back then… still now sometimes. These bright blue eyes were staring into the sky at the moment, but would flicker to him now and then, and Sasuke would look away quickly.

Why had Naruto done this for him? Sasuke saw the bruise on the boy’s face. It must be hurting still. His wrist also seemed sprained and he'd seen Naruto snap his arm back into place after Sasuke had caused it to dislocate. Sasuke knew what kind of pain that involved, having experienced it himself before. Having been lost in thought, he realized he was staring into his direction only when the others words reached his ears.

“That was fun, Arigatou!” Naruto smiled, staring into Sasuke's eyes without hesitation. Why was he doing this? Acting as if the fight had been ‘fun’, not for Sasuke to blow of steam, even though they both knew.

“Hn...” Sasuke kept on looking, searching for reasons in Naruto’s face. Naruto met his gaze head on and held it until Sasuke looked away. Quietly, he replied, this once in words:

“Arigatou.”

00000

“… I could snap him out of it, but then his whole posture changed again. He was furious.” She accompanied her renarration with gestures, grabbing her cup, putting it back again. It was so obvious that she worried, and cared.

“He looked about ready to attack! I don't think I've felt killing intent as strongly for quite a while... He didn't though; He didn't attack. Instead he fled the scene and now I don't know what to do. I'm responsible for him.” Having finished, she grabbed the cup again and took a large gulp. The tea must have been only lukewarm by now. She’d emptied it within one go, refilling the cup from the pot. 

Shikamaru was quiet for a while. Processing what she had said just now. Tatakai had reacted to the Sharingan, what an interesting fact.

“And Kakashi didn't use any Genjutsu on him?”

“He said he didn't.”

“Hmm...” was all Shikamaru said. Sakura, quiet again, held the warm cup with both her hands. She seemed seriously worried. So, Tatakai had panicked at first, but then that panic had turned into anger. Was he compensating, like fear with anger?

“I'm… I'm just worried. I don't know him well at all, but I found he is the kind to push himself until he passes out. I don't know where he is now. I mean, I could activate the tracking seal, but I don't think it would be a good idea. And I don't exactly know what it will do to him while it is active. I've only activated it once when I bought him to see if it worked. And I don't want to invade his privacy either, but I'm worried he took off. If he leaves the city borders, it will have consequences and I’m not up to that...”

“Hmm,… I imagine he just wants to have some space to cool down. You said yourself that he was really mad when he left... I don't think he would try to leave Konoha. The tracking seal was connected to you at the same time as the slave seal right?”

Hesitatingly, Sakura confirmed this.

“Well, then they both are connected. I think it would automatically alert you, should he knowingly go somewhere you told him not to. You've told him not to leave Konoha, haven't you?”

“Yes, I did.”

“Then you've got nothing to worry about. You will know when he leaves.” Shikamaru said, taking another sip of his own tea. “I have a suggestion. If he hasn't returned home by evening, you can momentarily activate the tracking seal to figure out if he is in trouble by being somewhere he shouldn't be. But don't fully track him down, just leave him be. He has come back up till now, so he will when he is ready. Just give him the time he needs. You'll survive a day without him, will you?” Shikamaru teased her.

She smiled vaguely, nodding in response... “So, how were the two weeks of watching over him?”

Shikamaru looked down his cup for some time. Watching the dark ground of the pottery. His mind was calculating how much to tell her. He decided and put on a smirk when he looked back at her.

“Oh, they were quite alright. I managed to get Tatakai to play Shogi with me a couple of times. He's an interesting opponent, quite good at that game actually. He still lost though…” he shrugged. “ah and I sparred with him, he’s decent.” He leaned back again, and after throwing a glance at the clock, emptied his cup. “Hey Sakura, it was nice catching up with you, but I gotta go. And, don't worry about him too much, alright?”

“Hai” Sakura got up as well, bowing slightly. “Thank you for listening, Shikamaru, and for taking care of him when I was absent. I will try to follow your advice and only check up on him in the evening.”

Once she had left, Shikamaru sighed. Troublesome, why did he always take on such self proclaimed missions. He left the building via roof in search of one Hatake Kakashi, wanting to hear his version of today's events. Shikamaru already had a good guess, but it wouldn't hurt to hear what had happened exactly. 

00000

Sai knelt in front of Danzo, listening to the briefing of his next solo mission. He'd have to leave early tomorrow, and to get to the place, he'd have to travel a couple of days. It was near the border of Amegakure. The real action would only start there, so even though he had just come back from a mission with his team, he might get some recuperation time during the journey (if he didn't run into some thugs of course). However, his cover was usually that of a poor traveling artist, so not many bothered with him.

“You are dismissed.”

“Hai” Sai got up, feeling the amount of missions he had lately. They’ve been quite a bit… But before going to bed, he still needed to inform Kakashi of his departure. He'd been gone a lot, lately. Well, the others could perform some D-ranks together with Tatakai. Sai had seen him and Naruto fighting after the strange incident. He'd been slightly worried about whatever had happened between Tatakai and Kakashi, but Naruto seemed to take care of it already. Comforting others wasn’t Sai’s cup and Sai was alright with that.

Kakashi wasn't home when Sai dropped by, so he left a note, then went home to pack and, finally, sleep.

00000

Naruto and Sasuke were still laying in the grass, both now calm and in the slight evening breeze. They didn't speak, Naruto would utter a thought now and then, but most time was spent in comfortable silence of companionship, a strange thought for Sasuke. After all, he had refused to even consider making friends for so long, only relying on himself after being separated from his brother. Twilight was setting in, but they didn't move, both deeply in thought.

Naruto was happy. He’d wanted to help Tatakai and it had worked. It was nice that he could talk with him and that he was listening. He didn’t seem annoyed this time, and he didn’t leave either, even if he didn’t really respond to what Naruto was saying. Maybe they could spend more time as real sparring partners. Maybe they could prank Sakura sometimes, or Kakashi. Naruto let out a chuckle at that. Tatakai probably had a couple of useful card up his sleeve...

A pained moan shook him out of his imaginings. Tatakai had turned away from him. His old shirt was slipping down his shoulders to expose a seal on his back, giving off a faint glow.

“Is that Sakura?” Naruto leaned over to get a better view, seeing him nod. The glow was already fading. The other caught his gaze. Naruto hardly saw the flash of red as words resounded in his head.

'She's worried'

Tatakai pushed himself into a sitting position, gritting his teeth. Naruto guessed that he must still be quite sore. He himself had also taken some hits, but Tatakai possessed no special healing abilities like he did. Naruto felt a bit sorry for him... And as it was getting late, so they should probably get home. Tatakai was right, Sakura would be worried by now… Wait, how could he know? Had the seal told him? Naruto got up anyway and offered Tatakai his hand. The other hesitated, but then grabbed on and pulled himself up. 

The air was heavy with the scent of broth when Tatakai entered the apartment. He was taking off his shoes when Sakura called out from the living room:

“There's soup on the table for you. I made some more rice balls, too. Those are in the fridge already, though.”

Sasuke stopped, caught between two warring feelings. On one hand, he was tired and ready to fall asleep. His job being done, a warm dinner waiting for him… all this sounded agreeable. But on the other hand, he was the slave in this house, so why had his mistress done what was supposed to be his duty? No way he wanted to lose the freedom he had now by overstepping possible boundaries… He would suss out her mood, see if he’d already overstepped any.

When he entered the kitchen, he found it empty except for the stockpot on the table. The smell was good and as she had indirectly invited him to serve himself, he decided to check on his mistress later. So, he ate first and cleaned afterwards, then left the kitchen. When he passed the door to the living room she called out for him:

“Tatakai? Are you okay?”

There she was. Sasuke turned around and stopped in the doorway.

“Wait! What happened?”

00000

Originally, she hadn’t want to be too nosey, give him more privacy, but when she saw the state he was in, she forgot about her good resolutions. His cheek and part of the skin just above the eyebrow were scratched. Parts of his face were clearly bruised, too. His hair was decorated with grass and his clothing just generally quite dirty. Clearly tired, he glared at her for some moments, silent as usual. Then he let out a snort and turned to go. Within one step he was at his door and had it opened, within another, the door was pushed into its lock.

It took her a moment to register what exactly had transpired just now. He'd simply walked away, right out ignored her. She recalled her words. ' _ What happened? _ ' Right, he wouldn't answer that. But he hadn't answered if he was okay either, had he? Well, he'd snorted, but she'd definitely expected a bit more. A nod at least. She sighed, she'd probably picked the wrong person for interactions.

She sat back down, putting her book down on the Kotatsu. She was irritated. Yes, he'd freaked out and it seemed he'd run into trouble this afternoon, too, but that was no excuse to just ignore her, was it? She'd let it slip this time, she decided, trying getting back to her lecture.

00000

Every time. It was something he dreaded, but in the end the need to confirm and also that tiny hope that it had been a dream won out after all. Every time, his hand still moved to open the door, even though he knew what would lie behind…. He knew this was just him dreaming. After having the same dream for years it was hard not to know. But still that tiny bit of hope always won out, to reveal once again, that it had been in vain.

The image of his parents’ dead bodies, forever burned into Sasuke’s mind.

It was always the same. His eyes would seek the room for the murderer, only to find his brother holding a bloodied sword. And after that, the images and events would start tumbling together, just as they did now.

But above all were those eyes. Red and bright…. Inescapable.

Sasuke's Kunai, which harmlessly hit Itachi's headband. His brother suddenly right in front of him. Bodies lying lifelessly in the streets. Closing his eyes helped nothing, he knew the horrors just kept coming. He still tried though, every time.

A hand holding his arm tightly, pulling him along. Blood everywhere. A whisper next to his ear. Hands holding him tightly against the body of a killer, head held gently against the crook of the same one's neck, shielding Sasuke's eyes from fire. Red eyes, apologizing, but not explaining, never explaining.

The feeling of being carried away, the chest lifting and sinking next to his own.

That overwhelming need to know what had happened despite the fear of what he would discover. Slowly lifting his head, taking in the scenery: Black flames that were eating away at his life. Blood running from his Itachi’s eye. The Uchiha district burning. A hand covering his mouth to keep it from screaming, instead leading his face back into the safety of the crook of his brother’s neck. Blackness. He knew by memory that he passed out at that point. Waking up to see dried blood on Itachi's face.

Useless…. Hands were holding his arms, shaking him slightly.

“Sasuke, you are not useless! You weren't even there, I made sure you weren't.”

Sasuke could still feel the panic. He had been useless. Training showed him that again and again. Though yes, Itachi would train him, finally. Relentlessly, too. Told him he'd understand any attempts at his life, and that it saddened him that he had to be that kind of brother. He’d even said to feel free to try to kill him.

His brother, a cruelly relentless Sensei. However gentle and understanding otherwise. Unsuccessful attacks in training. A knife at a sleeping Itachi's neck, unable to push it down… useless.

Itachi revealing that he actually had been awake, alleging to be glad, not because he'd survived the attempt, but because it showed that Sasuke had a conscience. Sasuke still felt useless.

Screaming and fighting against the arms holding him down. Breaking down, crying.  _ Let it out, let it out. It's okay. I understand… _

_ I know you are afraid of me, but know this, you are most important to me. I never wanted this and I'll help you through. _

More training. Praising, but also correcting, improving, learning. Instructions to handle the Sharingan. He was shaking. His brother’s Sharingan active, panic attacks. Traveling. Nights of sitting together by the fire, wordlessly. He was shaking. His brother fending off thugs. Them doing missions together. His brother explaining him chakra control. Red eyes.

Itachi being plagued by nightmares. Sasuke protecting him while Itachi was sick. Catching Itachi trying to hide coughing up blood. Unable to do anything. He was shaking.

Useless… Usuratonkachi, soft hammer, useless tool. He was shaking. Itachi fighting, drinking tea to soothe his throat. He shook… Why was he shaking?

Sasuke groaned.

“… wake up. You're having a nightmare. Tatakai, wake up.”

Sasuke shot up, heaving. He was in his bed, but not alone in the room. He instinctively averted his eyes. Was the Sharingan on? No, his night terrors didn't automatically activate it anymore, neither did it when he was startled. Itachi had forced it out of him. He relaxed and stared at his hands in his lap, then pushed his hair out of his face, grabbing at it. It was slick with sweat. His mistress was probably still sitting right next to him… bothersome. He let his emotions slip from his face, before looking into her face. She was worried.

“Are you… Are you okay?” Before her hand could touch his shoulder, he smacked it away.

“Eh?…. Come on, let me help you...”

He ignored her, pushing back the covers. Groaning he held his head again, his sweaty clothes uncomfortably sticking to his skin.

“Come on, get a shower. You’re soaking wet. I'll change the bed sheets.” She tried to pull him up only to land on the ground a second later. Sasuke had stormed out, grabbing some clothes while he was at it.

00000

Sakura didn’t care if he’d agree or not, in her opinion changing the bedclothes was necessary. He wasn’t here to keep her from doing what she thought was right anyway. What should he do? Pulling the linen out of her hands, fighting for it? Ridiculous. The image was funny, tough.

But the dream must have been tough. The scream had woken her up. She'd heard weird noise on the other side of his door, she’d quickly went in. A peaceful sleep looked different. He'd turned and tossed, sometimes almost looking like he was fighting an invisible force. And then there was mumbling, it was only a few words, most of it incomprehensible, or made no sense. The whole scene however told her enough to know that he was distressed. It woke some awful memories, like seeing her teammate die before her own eyes... She hadn’t had the heart to let him stay there. She’d just had to wake him up, be there for him. Though it been hard to shake him awake. She'd been prepared for his attack-like reaction, he was a ninja after all. However, that he pushed her away so rudely afterwards, even when he regained his bearings, she hadn't counted on. That was no knee-jerk reaction, but simply bad behavior.

When she had finished up in his room she was only half-content with the situation. She was too stirred up and awake to go back to sleep now and he was awake, too... having his shower or whatever he was doing in the bathroom. Maybe she could tempt him with some tea to have some conversation, or if it could be called that.. but they definitely needed to talk. A tea would do her good at any rate.

A few minutes later, she was just about to fill the cups, when she heard the bath door open. He appeared in the doorway, towel over his shoulders. His dark eyes caught hers, narrowing. She couldn’t help but only think how handsome he looked, though his attitude was everything but welcoming. Confused about her own thoughts, she pushed the weird feeling away, glad to have something to do. She held out a cup of tea. Hesitatingly he took it.

00000

Useless. She had had to shake him to wake him up. How could he have let that happen? How could he have let anyone sneak up on him like that?   
He knew, he'd so be in trouble should anyone realize his origins. He suppressed a groan as the water ran over his aching body. How could he have let this happen? He was a light sleeper usually. Surely he didn't feel that safe here, did he?

Oh well, he had had a nightmare and a bad one at that. Both he and Itachi had them before. He'd even had them in captivity at the slave house, sometimes, though he'd been better at handling them back then. That seeing a Sharingan had brought them back… He'd never expected to encounter a Sharingan on someone outside of family. He realized now how risky it had been to rule it out. He'd been caught off guard and in a real fight he'd be dead. How could he have had a breakdown over something “simple” as that?

Kakashi Hatake, he'd have to be twice as wary of him from now on. If he was lucky they'd think he might have had an encounter with it in past. Hopefully, they did...

The hot shower had definitely helped to calm down, and to pushed the horrid images to the back of his mind again. Turning off the water, he stepped out and got dressed. Ready as he'd ever be, he left the room. There was light in the kitchen. She wanted to talk? She would get her talk. 

He hadn't anticipated the tea. He knew acknowledged gesture and though he had to admit it was soothing, he didn’t feel comfortable with her. She’s had this weird look in her eyes, right before she offered him the cup and moreover, and what was worse: She'd seen him in a very vulnerable state, not once but twice today. What was her deal with him? What was it with her friends wanting to be his friends? Questions over questions, he turned the spoon in his mug. She'd made him tea and it bugged him. He wasn't only capable on his own, he also saw no good reason for her to serve him, her slave, especially in the middle of the night. As mistress she made no sense at all.

“Do you get nightmares like this, often?” Sakura was looking at him, eyes calm but curious.

Vexed, Sasuke averted his gaze. As if he’d answer to that! Your damn teacher’s Sharingan had brought them back. And with them, brought way too many questions and people asking them. Nevertheless, Sasuke was lucky that, even though they knew someone with the Sharingan, Team Seven as well as Shikamaru had never actually detected when he used his.

Even Naruto hadn't when he’d triggered the illusion, back when he’d first met him. The swirls the Sharingan made upon activation made it hard to detect for people. Most often, people only perceived a flash of red, when he used it as a communication tool. No one had been able to figure that out, yet. It was simply too fast for normal eyes.

Being in Konoha had made him wary, overly so, he realized now. He should be able to keep communicating with his eyes to the people he knew without a problem. The exception being the other Sharingan-holder, of course. However really, Sasuke had been so busy trying to find clues here in Konoha, he had only thought to be careful and thus might have been overcautious. Sakura, he found, was no threat to him.

Tatakai had just been turning the spoon in his cup. He’d probably never answer any of her questions. Slightly frustrated, Sakura went for another tactic.

“Ehm, Tatakai, since we're both awake… and you seemed quite battered up yesterday… I'd like to check on you.”

Sasuke rose his head. What was it with her constantly checking him over? He was getting back to a healthy weight, and rough training was normal for a Shinobi. What was her deal? The scratches he got from training and fighting yesterday were hardly serious. No worse than what Itachi had subjected him to. No, actually they weren't bad at all. He'd known that Naruto held back in some ways, as had he. He was just a little sore. Really, he could take a punch not falling apart.

“Oh come on, It will help you relax and...”

'No!'

The words died on her lips as the word resounded loudly in her head. She stared back at him.

“You know, I don't ask much of you… so...”

'I know'

The words snapped in her head voicelessly again. Shocking her with intensity.

'Leave me alone'.

He drank the rest of his tea with in one gulp and stood up, loudly pushing his chair over the floor. He left the room before she could recollect. He’d left her a little startled. Rude, just rude! Sighing, she got up to wash the cups, pausing when she heard his bed door click again, and then, a moment later, the apartment door. He'd left. He'd just left. Dared to, really. Yeah, just run away from your issues, Tatakai, very adult of you!

She peered into the hallway. Nothing seemed off, except that he wasn't there anymore. He'd even relocked the door when she checked it. Her eye caught sight of a slip of paper stuck behind the door handle. She pulled it out.

_ Within Konoha _

She let slip a laugher, slightly falling into it, a relieving reaction. Living with him, the entire situation had just been too strange. And she felt the tiredness coming back. She'd leave him be for now, but she would not just let him off the hook.

00000

What was it with her? Sasuke kicked an innocent stone in front of his feet in annoyance. So, she knew she hadn't assigned him many duties up till now. Really, housework wasn't that much, considering the size of her apartment. And if he wasn't around early enough, she would even take over cooking. What did she need him for? An extra mouth which had cost her money to acquire, too. And he knew how much he ate, not that he had a bottomless stomach like he'd witnessed with Naruto, but he did eat a lot. He felt unneeded, and he was annoyed about feeling unneeded, and he was annoyed about feeling annoyed about it. Ar! The only stupid thing she would nag him about were check ups. Why? They both knew he was alright, yet she had spent a considerate amount of time healing his sore muscles, erasing the unpleasant side effects of his harsh training. He was strolling through the city. He was angry at her, he wouldn't be able to properly explain it, but it bugged him that she had taken over his responsibilities yesterday. He hadn't been unable, she hadn't known of course, but she'd gone ahead and done it anyway. And tonight, she’s even changed his bed sheets! What was he to her, really? He ended up in front of the Uchiha gates and angrily turned away. 

By the time he got back to the apartment, it was already dawning. The anger was still eating at him, but it was a bit better. Physical motion always was a good ventil. He silently slipped into the kitchen and prepared a simple breakfast. Then he went ahead and ate, secretly hoping to miss her. No such luck. He was just washing his plate when she appeared in the doorway.

“Good morning” She yawned and sat down. “Thanks for cooking. Itadakimasu!” She took a bite and smiled. So, she wanted to play as if nothing had happened? Good. Sasuke laid down the rag and went to leave.

“Shtay.” Sakura said while chewing. Suppressing a sigh Sasuke turned around and leaned against the door frame, arms crossed. Sakura just looked at him, finishing her bite. So, she wanted to provoke him?! His irritation and unwillingness must have been clearly visible, but Sasuke didn’t care. She could go ahead and deal with it.

00000

“Tatakai, you did study the plant books, right?”

He nodded, not showing any surprise at the question. He went over and pulled out the cooking book. He handed it to her and leaned on the counter, arms crossed again. Now, Sakura looked up in surprise. She opened it and briefly leafed through.

“That, too?” He just nodded again.

“Hmm, anyway, I wanted to ask you something actually… The plants you brought home last time, where did you find them? There were some I never found in the village, like the lungwort. You were within the borders the whole time though, so that would mean they do grow here somewhere after all.”

Tatakai huffed, expression saying: As if I could leave.... So, he was aware of the seals connection then… She had wondered, but it immediately brought up that other question again.

“Does it hurt when I activate it? The seal, I mean...”

This time Tatakai scoffed, smirking weirdly, then shrugging his shoulders. No words, no catching her gaze. Great, now she felt guilty. Seeing that he would not grace her with a proper answer, she decided that it was probably better not to dwell upon it.

“Ehm, well, would you mind showing me where you found the plants?”

Tatakai turned his head away. Though Sakura could see his unwillingness, he was thinking it over. She wouldn’t let it go.

“Oh come on, let's get ready. We can train afterward. You have sparred with everyone but me. It will be fun.” Tatakai looked up skeptically at first. Then, he finally moved, out of the kitchen and into his room. That must have been a “Yes”. Ten minutes later he hadn't shown up again yet. She was ready and tired of waiting, she had Kakashi who did that all the time already… Or had she interpreted his agreement wrong? She decided to take action and check. She shortly knocked at his door and then entered the room.

The one in question was laying in bed, back towards her, the rise and fall of his chest as well as his chakra told her that he was awake though. She saw that he had changed clothes.

“I'm ready, you coming?” He made no sound. Was he sulking?

“Hey, if you don't show me I'll follow you around and annoy you until you do, understand? I want to know where you found those plants. I’ll save me and the hospital a whole lot of traveling time to collect them.”

Tatakai got up with a grunt, strove past her and pulled on his shoes at the entrance. He was out of the apartment quicker than she realized. Being his grumpy, antisocial self he just went ahead. Sakura caught up soon enough, falling into step next to him in under a minute. Wow, this was going to be fun… At least she’d get the information she wanted.

The weather was gorgeous and soon she’d know some new spots of valuable resources. So, Sakura couldn’t but enjoy their walk through Konoha, though Tatakai still seemed pissed off, for what reason?... she didn't know. That grinch wouldn’t drag her down. She'd come to associate a scowl with him anyway. He hardly bothered to hide displeasure and didn't seem to be an easy person to please, and she'd never seen him really laugh.

Her joy was cut short though when the Uchiha gate appeared in view. The quiet man showed no hesitation, his sure movements clearly aimed to get there. For Sakura it brought back bad memories though. She hadn't been here since ages and hadn’t had planned to return any time soon. Disregarding if she was ready or not, Tatakai opened the gate and held it open for her. She didn't step through it though, overwhelmed by the memories. Classmates back then died here, directly within her home. The fact still haunted her occasionally.

He harrumphed to get her attention, breaking her reverie, but his patience had apparently been wearing thin, because a moment later he just let go of the gate wing and continued to walk. Taking a breath she passed the gate and caught up with him.

“Sorry”

He didn't even bother to spare her a glance. Instead he lead her deeper into the overgrown ruins. It totally made sense to her that he'd have found seldom plants here. Did he know about this place’s history? Would someone like him avoid it like anyone else, if he did? Maybe he came here because no one else did…

00000

He was quick and sure in navigating, leading her to the corners where he had found each plant, pointing them out wordlessly. She amused him: Once he'd pointed at the first plant and she indeed had discovered it, she seemed to forget about where she was. Her eyes shone in excitement and soon she was pointing out other plants to him and telling him about their properties. He quietly took in the information, filing it away. He wouldn't have thought it, but now that her attention wasn't solely on him, it actually was fun with her.

“… I'll show you how to make those creams and such at home. It'd be a useful skill to have, wouldn’t it?”

“Hn...”

She had a bag with her and Sasuke helped her pick plants, never taking all of them. Soon over an hour or two had passed and her basket was full. She strapped it to her back.

“Thanks for showing me.”

Sasuke scoffed. It's not like he'd had a choice in the matter.

They'd went to the very back and were now walking through the whole district again, following the main road for now. Sasuke was subtly leading, not in a hurry, Sakura perusing her notes next to him. When they were about to pass the clan’s memorial, she unwittingly paused, looking up from her notes. It took her some moments before she calmly stepped up to the block of stone. Just right before with her notes, she started to trace the names on it.

“Do you know what happened here?” The question seemed directed to the stone more so than to Sasuke.

“Uh-huh.”

Sakura looked at him, startled. Tatakai stared her down. So he did know. His aura was dark and seething. Impatiently he tabbed with his foot. She didn’t know how to interpret his reaction. It confused her, but she had no head for it now, so she returned to the stone. Her fingers traced one more name, then she stepped away, sighing.

They continued their journey through the deserted place though the atmosphere had changed. It had become totally depressing, Sakura found, as she peered over to her scowling companion. He had quickened the pace a tiny bit and really seemed extra grumpy now. Well, lack of sleep could do that to anyone. She let off her musings and had a look at the surroundings. The ruins were still blackened with smoke, but partially overgrown with plants. If it weren't so sad, it really would have been beautiful. It appeared like a place in a dark fairytale. Tatakai totally fit in.

She thought back when this place was still full of life, of course that had been long ago, but she recalled enough. She hadn't been here often, but she clearly remembered all the Uchiha kids’ empty seats after the massacre. One in particular.

The memories were strong and she suddenly felt the need to speak about it. “You know, I went to school with a few of them... the people who died here. Actually, the first boy I was somewhat interested in was from this clan.” She sighed, then at once realized that Tatakai had stopped somewhere behind her. She turned around and started to laugh. It was a shaky tone, she always got nervous when she didn’t know how to react. How could she expect Tatakai to be interested in this!? Why should he care to listen at all?

“Ah, I know it was just a child's love. I must have liked him for some reason, I don’t even remember… Now he's dead and I’ve no chance to find out… I haven’t really fallen in love ever since. That childhood feeling is the closest I know of love. Weird isn't it?” Oh my God, just why was she telling him all this? Couldn’t she just shut her mouth? Another shaky laugher.

Insecurely, Sakura looked over to him. Tatakai was just staring back more intensely than ever. For once, it wasn't anger nor hatred in his gaze, just a stir with undefined emotions. He then abruptly turned around and continued walking towards the Uchiha compound entrance. She quickly fell into step beside him again.

“The thing is… I don't even remember what he looked like.” There was a regretful quality to her voice. “But I remember how he used to smile and laugh… He was so ambitious, always boasting about his big brother…” She sighed. “Actually, he was a tiny bit like Naruto, just a bit more level headed and arrogant. I remember thinking how cool he looked when he was practicing Kata or weapon-wielding...”

Tatakai hadn't looked at her again, but little movements indicated that he was still very much listening to her.

“I used to cry for days after hearing about what had happened here…” She shook her head and put on a smile. “I’m really sorry to dump this all on you.”

No reply… not that she'd expected one. They left the dark place through the gates again and he felt much more light-hearted back in the common streets. When they reached her home they dropped off their collection of herbs and plants. Just when she had wanted to sort them a bit on the table, she saw Tatakai grabbing his weapon bag. Oh right, she had promised him a spar! Wordlessly and with a light feeling of satisfaction, she went to get her training gear as well. Soon enough they both were heading to Team Seven's favored training ground.

00000

Sasuke was standing there, waiting for her to proceed. If he had learned one thing from Itachi, it was to not underestimate your opponent. She may be a medic, but she was also a Kunoichi. The pink hair gave her an innocent look, but he'd seen a tiny bit of her skills while training with Naruto, and she hadn't looked too gentle back then. He didn't want another medical exam, so he better not let her injure him.

She attacked. Slamming her fist where he'd been just moments ago. He greeted her with a kick, which she evaded just as well. He was faster than her, but he quickly realized, that her touch was quite fatal. He'd already lost use of his left arm upon one little touch at the right spot. He drew his sword, slightly off balance through his paralyzed arm. The attack was based on speed and she barely moved out of the way, but somehow she managed to graze him with her fist. He flew farther than anticipated. Shaking, he stood up. She was already coming at him again. However, instead of hitting him, she ran to the left the last moment, hitting a tree instead. It cracked and fell. He stared at it, but that little moment until he realized that it had been a distraction were enough for Sakura to disappear. He sensed her above, but instead of moving out of the way he grabbed her leg and swung her into the air. That was an enjoyable fight. Her combat style was so unlike her appearance, but he was hardly surprised, knowing that it was a good Shinobi trait. Her body slammed into the ground some ways off, but she quickly stood up again. He was already coming at her again, his sword enveloped in chakra. She smirked as she pulled back her fist, waiting for him to come close enough.

He hadn't expected her to duck away and slam her fist into the ground. The earth quaked under his feet and sent him tumbling. She was almost on top of him when he finally managed to get a hold of himself and to push himself up with his arm. He quickly turned away. However she had anticipated that and struck out. Her hand grazed the sleeve of his shirt which gave away harmlessly. He recognized the movement as the same she used to paralyze his other arm. He'd barely escaped it, however, feigned to be hit by it anyway. He let his arm crash under him, lax, then turned on his back, getting up only with the help of the muscles of his torso. She was watching out what he was doing from a distance away. The sword slipped harmlessly from his hand. Unarmed, he started running towards her. He didn't run as fast as he could, he wanted her to see and look at him. He feigned two little faltering steps, she had already prepared in some stance, no, she was already moving, now was the time.

He caught her eyes, Sharingan momentarily flashing. Her eyes widened as she lost control of her body. It lasted only a fraction of a second, but long enough to miss a step, stumble and fall. He moved into her fall, grabbing her and quickly twirling her so her back was pressed against his chest. She felt his hand close around her throat, fingers positioned above the main artery, then pressing. He was hindering her blood flow instead of targeting the airways.

When she tried to free herself, he suddenly let go. She fell forward, moving quickly to brace her fall when she felt a well-directed jab at her neck and everything turned black for a moment. A little harder and she would have been be out cold. In a split moment decision she made herself relax. Sure enough something poked her side to check her state of being a moment later, she forced herself not to move. Something was thrown to the ground, then she heard him shift to the right. He sighed. In her mind, she did so too. She had hoped he would test her unconsciousness personally, not just with a stick, then she could have struck out, but unfortunately he was careful. Her thoughts ran at full speed. Then, she heard another rustle, he was stepping away. Immediately, she jumped at the chance and punched her fist into his backside. A suppressed groan. Slowly, he turned around, an almost smile on his face.

'Never disregard something as paralyzed'

She let the words sink in, then reciprocated the smile, indeed, she had hit him, but due to him being prepared it hadn’t been very effective. He’d totally gotten her there.

“And you shouldn't rely on speed so much. It's what prevented you to react to my earthquake. I almost had you there. Now let me help with your arm.” She got back on her feet. Then, upon seeing him tensing, she added: “I caused it, so let me fix it now. We'll do the rest at home, where you can lay down. Don't worry.”

Anger blazing in his eyes, he turned so she had access to his arm. With a slight touch she reversed the technique. It took longer than the attack had, but it was over quickly enough.

Sakura looked up into the sky. “Hugh, I'm starving...”

00000

Sakura had left him to reign over the kitchen, going into the living room with the collected herbs from the morning. They ate in customary silence and he took care of the dishes. Everything was how it was supposed to be, until Sakura stood in the doorway, blocking it. That was the moment he had dreaded to come.

“I'd like to do a check up… I know you're fine, but...”

'No.'

“...and I'll teach you how to process those plants afterward.”

'No thanks.' Sasuke had taken a step back, not out of fear, but simply to keep his distance.

“Why are you so defensive?... Are you mad at me?”

Sasuke glared scowling.

“Why?...” She looked at him with her big eyes, taking another step into his direction. “Why are you ma-… at me.” Again she felt it, a flash of red and her body froze up for a tiny moment. That was a warning. She stopped. “I don't understand.”

'I don't understand you either.'

00000

'Why?! What am I to you?' Sakura was getting used to hearing the words in her head, however he did it, it worked. Suddenly he was right in front of her, far too close for her comfort. 'Why am I here?'

His hot breath was on her face and for the first time, felt shaky in his presence. He was way too close, forcing her to look up to him. His eyes, dark as obsidian were glinting with suppressed anger.

A knock on the front door saved her. It was pushed open and Shikamaru entered. “Oh, Tatakai, I think Sakura is a bit uncomfortable like that.”

Tatakai abruptly stepped back.

“Ehm, in case you don’t plan to continue whatever you two were up to, may I borrow Tatakai for a while? I'd like a rematch.” 

“Uhm, alright. He’s all yours.”

Tatakai shortly looked back and forth between the two, then took a step towards Shikamaru.

“Okay, bye Sakura. See you later.” The Nara said with a faint waving.

Tatakai didn’t deign to look at her. She was just about to say Goodbye as well, when the door was slammed into her face. While she’d been glad about Shikamaru’s visit and the welcoming interruption it caused, her mood plummeted once more at Tatakai’s blatant disrespect. He’d ditched her, again. This needed to stop!

00000

That was a weird type of training ground Shikamaru had brought them to. Sasuke had never been here. Was ist even one? Their feet left dents in the squashy soil behind them. Parts looked very likely a moor. An interesting choice of training ground, especially considering that Shikamaru knew that he was fast, too fast for the soil to trap him. Besides, he had learned to walk on water with focussing his chakra to his feet... And even if he’d sink in, he could always use a substitution technique. Shikamaru was smiling vaguely, going forward at a steady pace. It was late afternoon already, but still quite some time until sunset, though he didn't really plan on playing around for that long. He believed that the quicker and more efficiently he could take care of this, the better. This was troublesome enough as it was. Next to the tree Shikamaru turned around.

“Ready?”

Sasuke nodded and three Kunai flew from Shikamaru's hand. Quickly he dodged them, going for the open ground in front of him. More Kunai kept him occupied, especially as he realized that there were exploding tags attached. Dodging them carefully, he soon found himself farther in the swamps, but the ground luckily still stern enough. Shikamaru had been driving him here, away from him, but for what purpose?

Sasuke attacked, running towards his opponent. The latter moved suddenly, hands quickly folded into a hand sign, eyes closed. The moment Sasuke's feet touched the ground, they were stuck on the spot. Uncontrolledly, he fell forward, almost face-planting into the ground. He barely moved his hands in time to break his fall. 

Cursing Sasuke checked his surrounding from his position. He could easily see Shikamaru who sat in the shadow of a tree. The shadow that had been reformed into tendrils connecting with him, holding him trapped. Quick and efficient, right... Sasuke was panting into the quiet afternoon air. He had not expected this. Foolishly he had stepped right into the trap laid out for him. He tried to summon chakra to his hands and knees to keep himself afloat, but he could already feel himself sinking despite.

“Save it. There is no surface tension here for you to take advantage of, and the ground below is simply not stable enough for you to latch on.”

Sasuke looked up at Shikamaru whose gaze was directed somewhere off beside him. Dang, he couldn't use eye to eye communication either!

“Sorry about this, but I thought it was the only way to make you hear me out,  _ Uchiha _ -san.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Quite a bit happened in this chapter, I'd absolutely love to hear some of your thoughts, but no pressure!  
Any form of support would mean a lot to me:)
> 
> Thanks all those who have been leaving Kudos, and also especially thank you Johan14th for bookmarking this. I hope you will enjoy the next chapters as well.


	5. Teamwork

Kakashi was strolling towards  Sakura’s apartment, everything wrong with the character that presented Tatakai still on the forefront of his mind. It hadn't left him alone at all. This boy, a slave, a Shinobi.

He'd get some answers, some more puzzle pieces, be it through Tatakai himself or some way else. He already had a couple of strategies in his mind and was hoping to achieve his goal without cornering his suspect.

After a short greeting, his student let him in. She set up some tea, and sat down at the Kotatsu, across from where he knelt.

“Somehow this place is swarming with people today... Are you here for Tatakai too?” She seemed a little tired. “Shikamaru took him out for a spar, so he’s not here right now.”

Kakashi took in the information with mild interest, however already adjusting his plans. It’d be easier if Tatakai wasn't around.

“What I came for won't require his presence. I wondered if you’d mind if I had a look at his papers. You do have them, right? I'm just a bit curious about his background.”

“Oh, really? Ehm, yes, sure.” She rose from her spot. “That's actually a good idea. I never thought to look into those and he's so closed off. I'll get them at once.” Soon she returned and spread the sheets across the Kotatsu, the low table. Now sitting next to each other, she and Kakashi went through them. There were several actually. Most were ownership transaction certifications. They were sorted by date and his information was updated on each. The newest was on top:

_____________________________________________________

Place of transaction: Slave House Shin'en Minami, Fire Country

Current owner:  Hisashi Omo, Slave house President

New owner:  Haruno Sakura

**Slave code:** **OSA0742**

Birth name: Unknown

Listed name: Tatakai

Gender: Male

Date of Birth: Unknown, approximate age: 16

Origin: Unknown

Description: Black hair, dark eyes, pale skin

Height: 165 cm, growth still possible

Current Weight: 48kg

Seals: Slave Seal( transitioned),

Tracking Seal (new), connected

Notes: Haruno Sakura has been informed of the odd  
occurrences around him as well as the behavioral problems.  
Slave House Shin'en Minami won't take him back.

Signatures: _Hisashi Omo, Sakura Haruno_

_____________________________________________________

Skimming the papers, Kakashi finally asked the question that had been in the back of his mind ever since he’d realized that Tatakai knew ANBU hand signs. It was time to get some answers:

“Sakura, how come you went out to buy a slave anyway? It seems a little unlike you.”

She finished reading a passage, then looked up from where she was shuffling through the papers.

“Ah yeah, I suppose a lot of people wondered about that... actually, I didn't want to either. And to be honest, I still don't like it. I hope Tsunade will allow me to free him someday... It was her idea, you know...” She looked back down at the papers, a thoughtful expression on her face. “Remember when she banned me from the hospital? She told me that I looked at patients the wrong way, that I had lost my touch, that I only worked as a distraction and wasn't facing my own problems. I mean, what problems? Tch... And then she gave me an assignment: To go and buy a slave. In all honesty, I don't really know what this all is for and she refused to explain… So here I am.”

“Hmm, that’s sneaky of Tsunade. Who would have thought… Did she tell you where to go, or did you search for a slave house yourself?”

“Uh, I wish she’d have told me where to go, like, how would I know about that? I had to search for one and ask around, it was so awkward.”

“Hmm, I see… And why did you pick  _ him _ ?” 

“Oh, that's hard to say, you know? But I think I thought he was misunderstood. They told me he fought at any chance, no reason at all, but he proved me otherwise. Also, I thought that maybe, instead of always studying the sick, it would do me good to study a healthy body for once… Does that make sense?” She looked back at him. Such a good girl.

“I suppose.” Kakashi’ smiled at her before he turned back to the papers in front of them. Sakura had pulled out one that had Seals drawn next to short descriptions. She scanned it carefully.

_____________________________________________________

Information to Sealing and Accessory:

**Slave Code**:  OSA0742

**Slave Seal:** Placed on arm

Punishment: Pain spreading over skin, growing stronger over time and severity of breach.

Possible to activate through owner.

Activation: Touching of subjugation seal with two fingers,  
Say: Spread

Deactivation: Letting go of seal

**Tracking Seal** : Placed between Shoulder blades

Functions: Tracking, Owner feels direction of Slaves location and approximate distance

By breaching of boundaries, activates punishment

function of Slave seal.

when moving back into boundary, pain lessens and disappears.

Activation: Touching of counter seal with two fingers  
Say: Find

Deactivation: Touching of counter seal again.  
Say: Done

**Collar**: placed around neck

Purpose: Chakra block, restraint

**Shackles**: placed on wrists

Purpose: Restraint for physical force

_____________________________________________________

Sakura stared at the paper. That had indeed been an enlightenment. She hadn't realized half of what these things really were for. She would have had some answers all along, had she only looked a bit closer. She was glad to know though that tracking didn't hurt him. Also, she hadn't realized, that the slave seal actually could punish. She'd never witnessed it happening, luckily. The thought of punishing and causing him physical pain on purpose skeeved her out. Especially now that she knew more about her power as a slave owner, she vowed to herself to never exploit it.

What surprised her, though, was the collar. She had thought it was just another item signifying his status to everyone, something, to put the leash on, besides the shackles. She hadn’t had any clue that it had actually restrained his chakra! So that was why, even with his obvious skills, he hadn't broken out of the cell, or tried. How long had he borne it?

Kakashi in the meanwhile, had skimmed over other papers, mainly ownership transactions.  They seemed to be authentic. He couldn’t detect any manipulation and the papers’ change of colour corresponded with the dates.  Information swam before his eyes. Some things crystallized in clarity though:

According to these papers , Tatakai had been owned by more than five Slave Houses, the last two being in Fire Country. All had taken him back for reselling, some a couple of times, others only once. In the end all had expressly written that they wouldn’t take him back another time. He’d had countless owners, who had claimed their right to return, and those who couldn’t had usually just searched out the next Slave House to sell him to. As for the records, they all mentioned that he had behavioral problems. Though, except for the no-talking maybe, Kakashi had yet to see them… Also he read about odd occurrences, including lapses in control over people’s body’s,appearances of what was described as a protecting daemon or angel, sometimes as brother, even voices in people’s heads. Occasionally, these occurrences also included bad dreams about what was described as a battlefield. Blood, dead bodies, panic in the air. It appeared that most owners sold him out of fear.

Kakashi couldn't help but think that one thing that had saved Tatakai from being put down might have been his good looks. He didn’t know the world of slavery very well, but could imagine easily, that favorable looks would always fetch a nice price somewhere. The people who bought slaves were still from the same world he lived in.

The more he read, Kakashi had found no relation to Konoha or any hint back to Danzo whatsoever and only few papers were left to look through. A yellowish paper caught his attention. It looked old and the date on it confirmed his guess. This was the first paper, the one of his registration:

_____________________________________________________

Slave Registration

Place of Registration: Slave House Kansei, Ishigakure

**Slave Code**:  OSA0742

Birth Name: Unknown

Gender: Male

Origin: Unknown

Date of Birth: Unknown. Approximate Age 13-14 

Family: OSA0743 (brother) captured and sold.

Description: Black hair, dark eyes, pale skin, 

Height: 153.2 cm, still growing

Current Weight: 43.5kg

Blood Type: AB

Seals: Slave Seal

connected to Yamasaki Ryo (Slave house president)

Restraints: collared, shackles when taken out of cage.

Notes: refuses to talk

good looks,

had some ninja training before capture

Signature: Yamasaki Ryo

_____________________________________________________

Kakashi held onto the paper. So he'd been a slave for about two to three years, he had had a brother, and his self-initiated muteness had been there from pretty much the beginning, probably right after his capture.  As for the capture date, Sai was unlikely to be said brother. Sai had grown up as a slave, and he’d already been part of their team around the time of capture. That didn’t mean that it wasn’t possible for them to be brothers, it only meant that Sai wasn’t slave OSA0743.

In any case, he better verify the dates and information with a random Slave House. If these papers were real, then there should be records. 

On a side thought, Kakashi wondered if there was an actual relation to the brother mentioned in the papers and the phenomenon described as demon as well as brother.

The visit had more puzzle pieces than answers and the only traceable thing besides the owners and Slave Houses, was his brother’s slave code, though Kakashi already had a misgiving on that. He'd seen how many times Tatakai had been resold, and hence moved locations. Kakashi would be quite lucky to find traces to follow continuously.

“He has been in servitute for a while, it seems.” Kakashi said, putting down the paper.

“Oh, did you find something?” She looked up from hers.

“Not much, only that they were captured in Ishigakure and that he had a brother.”

“A brother!?… I didn't know… I found out that I took off the chakra restraint he wore, it was a collar…”

“I read about it. I bet he was glad?”

“I dunno… He was somewhat shocked, I think.”

“Well, he probably knew what it was for.”

They returned to silence. Sakura shuffling through the papers he'd just looked through. She took them, bringing them back in order. 

Much like Kakashi, Sakura let her thoughts wander. Tatakai had been shocked, she had seen it. Back when she’d removed his collar. At that time, she had just taken it as it was, ignoring his irritation. She hadn't known what she really had done... Now, she wondered what he thought of her, back then.

Kakashi wondered about other things. Mainly, how that boy had managed to scare that many people, especially without being directly violent. It had been more than a menacing aura, and there had been no spoken threats. If he hadn't known that he had his chakra restrained, he'd have guessed he'd used some Jutsu… Had that boy found a way around the collar's influence? And there still was the question of how he knew ANBU hand signs, and why he had reacted to the Sharingan the way he did.

0000000

Sasuke was sinking and the worst was, he couldn’t stop it. The Nara's shadow technique held him firmly in place, unable to escape or move in general. Sasuke couldn’t apply any of the techniques that Itachi had him practice to get out of quicksand and similar soil. But sinking in the position he was held now would soon make it near impossible to escape without help.

The other had yet to utter another word, seemingly just waiting for him to crack. Sasuke took a deep breath. He didn't know what to think. How far would Shikamaru go? How far was Sasuke willing to risk it? He instinctively dug his fingers into the ground, grabbing nothing but squishy mud. The sudden movement only causing him to sink another inch.

“I won’t let you die, don’t worry. I got a board here. Should the need arise, I can put it below you to increase surface. That should keep you afloat. You know, I know you can talk…”

Shikamaru was just bragging, he couldn’t know. When could he have witnessed? Assumptions, guessing, nothing more. And calling him an Uchiha didn’t automatically make him one. Sasuke was sure that here too, the Nara had no certainty (yet) and was trying to figure him out through suggestive interrogation. He was playing with the time factor, waiting for him to break. But Sasuke wouldn’t make it  _ that  _ easy. If Shikamaru wanted him to talk, he had to do better than that...

“You can, of course, remain silent.” Shikamaru set in again. “I got time, you know? But you don’t, your time limit will be following scenario: Once we’re both missed and someone comes looking for us, this will come to an end. Of course you can think of what happens if we cross that point and you haven’t shown any willingness to cooperate: You’ll be taken in custody, a blood sample will be taken, you’ll be interrogated.” He made pause for effect. “I offer you a way around that, but you will have to cooperate and talk to me.”

Sasuke grit his teeth. So  _ that  _ would happen if he didn't answer. Instead of ‘killing’ him himself, he’d throw him to the sharks. Nice. Sasuke could of course admit to be able to talk, but that would inevitably lead to real questions demanding real answers. And he knew what kind of questions the Nara would ask. If he really thought about it, what was the point in remaining quiet if the other already knew about him being an Uchiha? For three years he'd kept silent, and it had served him well. Was that the moment he had to lift his guise? If only he could use his Sharingan on him…

Sasuke glared at Shikamaru, who still stubbornly refused to look at him. This was all pointless. He squinted his eyes, just to realize that he had been trying to stare him down. Useless… Shikamaru was calmly sitting there, under the tree, calmly gazing into the distance, that bastard. There were so many things Sasuke didn't want to reveal, or unbury… But he also no longer hoped the Nara would simply turn around and look. Sasuke couldn’t blame him: If he really took him as an Uchiha, he wouldn't risk it. Sasuke wouldn’t, either. Damn, he was truly trapped.

“Fine, what do you want?” Sasuke all but spat the words.

Shikamaru smirked. “Good. Then here’s my proposal. You've been interested in Konoha's history. You must know that Shinobi are responsible for the safety of their people and village. You’re quite a strong Shinobi yourself, so help us with our job and in turn, I will help you find out what you want to know.”

Sasuke stared at Shikamaru. Whatever he had been expecting, that hadn't been it. His guise seemed so close to being lifted, his identity exposed. The other was so sure that he, Sasuke, was an Uchiha. The allegation alone was enough to send him into the interrogation department…. Was Shikamaru oblivious about the ace up his sleeve, or did he choose to ignore it? Where was the catch? It sounded too good to be true. Was Konoha at a shortage of Shinobi or why was the Nara offering something like this? And what was, once he, Sasuke, had found out what he was seeking? Would he be able to play 'search' still, to keep the deal up? Would he even want to?

“Why?… Why not just turn me in?”

“Ah, maybe to give you a chance to prove yourself? Why should we waste perfectly good skills?”

“I could find out things I shouldn't know. I could betray you.”

“You think so?… This will go both ways, anyway, and you know that.”

Sasuke looked down, his hands now fully encased in mud, escaping the control of Shikamaru's shadow technique slowly. Shikamaru was right, the deal was risky, for both of them.

“What, when I find out what I want to know?” He had to make sure.

“You can hope that you've proven your worth until then.” Shikamaru smiled faintly. That was a promise, in some way.

Sasuke quietly thought it through, position forgotten for the moment. Shikamaru would not turn him in as long as he had enough trust in him. It would probably be as good as it got. Shikamaru held the knowledge of his origin in his hand and Sasuke knew, even though he didn't truly have the choice to refuse, Shikamaru's deal was kinda fair. Proving himself was a reasonable condition and a chance.

“Fine, I accept your proposal.” Hostility was gone from his voice and he immediately felt the shadow release him. The sensation caused him to shudder involuntary. He tried to pull his hands out of the mud. They were stuck. He sighed in defeat and for the first time since Shikamaru had him trapped, he felt the Nara's gaze on him.

“Here.” Shikamaru had gotten up and produced some board to walk over to him. With his help Sasuke could finally escape the moor’s hold. Hands and legs all covered with mud and dirt, Sasuke stood in the light breeze. He looked over at Shikamaru, searching his gaze.

Shikamaru harrumphed: “I expect you to talk with whomever you work with on missions. I don't know why you chose not to, but you will not continue. Missions are too important for such games. That is no request, am I clear?”

“Hai.”

Sasuke was not pleased, but of course understood the condition and why Shikamaru demanded it. Really, it might even be better to no longer use the Sharingan here in Konoha, if he had to use his voice again anyway. Still, it would be quite a change in how he handled things.

0000000

Sakura was quite shocked when she opened the door to see Tatakai drenched in mud, standing just behind a still mostly clean Shikamaru.

“Oh, my… Wait here, just… I'll be right back.” She said, hurrying back into the apartment and returning with a towel a moment later. She asked them inside after handing Tatakai the towel with which he tried to limit the mess on the entrance’s floor. He more or less succeeded... When he had gotten most of it, he went for the bathroom.

Sakura invited Shikamaru to join her and Kakashi in the living room, setting up more tea.

“So, you two enjoyed yourself?” Sakura said politely, wondering if she should ask what happened to their planned rematch, this didn’t look like the results of a Shogi session. Did she miss something?

“Well, I did. I can't talk for Tatakai though. I doubt the ‘landing in the mud’ part was all that fun.”

“Eh, you're probably right.” Sakura served him tea, which he thankfully took.

“So Shikamaru, it's unlike of you to actively search out a fight, isn't it?” Kakashi spoke up. “What lead up to that?”

“Ah, I had some things to discuss with Tatakai, and I thought that the best way to do so, would be during a spar. I think we should wait for him, to talk about it I mean…”

0000000

Sasuke leaned against the shower stall. The water was splashing on him pleasantly, he however paid it no mind. How had he just agreed to that? Especially the talking part!?… Never would he have thought that anyone would have such an easy time to get him to take up speaking again.

What had tipped the other off? He knew that his visits to the clan compound couldn't have been it, though the Nara had been suspicious of him back then already. What had it been? He really had no idea. He pushed his head against the wall, annoyed with the lack of progress. He'd have to ask him, so he could avoid it in the future. Great, more conversation…

Right now, it would probably be best to get dressed and face his life again. Not that he really had a choice. He grabbed the clean clothes he had quickly taken from his room and put them on. Then he rubbed off his hair and then went to the living room.

When he pushed the slide door aside, three heads inside turned to him: Sakura, Kakashi and Shikamaru all looked up. Well, in retrospect, he could have knocked... Though it wasn't like they couldn't sense him. He remained in the doorframe, unsure about his next move.

“Hi Tatakai, come on in. Join us.” Sakura said quickly, pointing next to her.

He took note that all of them were drinking tea and one additional cup waited for him innocently on the Kotatsu. He stepped besides her and gracefully folded his knees under him to sit down. Somehow, even though both Shikamaru and Kakashi were definitely lounging, the action seemed very formal to him. For a moment, no one spoke.

“Well, then, he's here.” Sakura finally broke the silence, looking into the circle. Shikamaru took the cue.

“Alright, so I spoke with Tatakai today…” 

Sasuke threw Shikamaru a warning glance. The Nara just continued unworriedly.

”...and he agreed to lend his skills to the village for missions and such. I thought to either have him do missions with my or with your Team, Kakashi. Well, ultimately, he's yours, Sakura, but as far as I know you that won't be a problem, will it?”

“Oh, no! I really like the idea, actually. Would be great to have you with us, Tatakai. Allows you to get out more, too, no?” Sakura's voice had an enthusiastic quality to it.

It took effort to hide his emotions. How could Shikamaru just go and tell everyone about this so casually, without even giving him a heads-up!? This hadn’t been what he’d agreed to, though he couldn’t really claim that the Nara had truly betrayed him. It just had come so unexpectedly quick. 

Sasuke’s answer came with about as much enthusiasm and elaboration as expected, in a simple, standard “Hn”.

00000

Kakashi critically observed the discussion. He'd seen Tatakai's expression darken with the mention of the agreement. It made him curious how Shikamaru had made him compliant and what he’d might have promised in return. 

Kakashi turned to Tatakai to regard him with a keen eye. The other met his stare head on, fire smoldering in the dark iris. “And you will accept my decisions and any orders if you so happen to be in my team? Will I have your word?”

Sasuke felt the Nara's gaze on him, reminding him of the conditions he had agreed to with pressing assurance.

“Hai.” His voice wasn't loud, but it didn't need to be. This was the first step of the deal of working with them, breaking his silence.

“Well then, I suppose I can work with that for now. I will think of something… Good luck with your greens, Sakura. And I’m looking forward to working with you, Tatakai.” Kakashi nodded into the circle and excused himself.

Shikamaru said goodbye soon after. Sakura saw him to the door while Sasuke stayed back and returned to the living room a minute later, averting her eyes insecurely. She didn’t expect him to chat with her now, did she? There was a pregnant pause between the two until she finally shifted.

“Alright, we've waited long enough with these herbs. We should really process them today otherwise some agents will be gone. Would you set up some water, please? We need it hot and sterile.”

Wordlessly, Sasuke raised and did as asked and soon they were preparing the first batch of herbs. He was pouring seething water over them as Sakura explained the next steps.

They were at it for the rest of the day. She taught him how to make tinctures, creams and how to conserve some. He didn’t mind, it was useful knowledge and it was easier to learn from demonstration than from books.

Beside her interposed questions, he also saw other questions in her eyes. Questions she didn’t ask though. Usually, he wouldn’t have cared, would have preferred people to mind their own business. But he knew she was curious, she’d been nosy all since his arrival, so why was she holding back now? Was she afraid? Afraid of him, or the answer?... He realized that her reticence bothered him. He was waiting for it! Since when had they switched positions?

In the end, after Sakura had declared them finished, they both just sat on the sofa for a little while. Neither one initiating more conversation. She didn’t ask her questions and Sasuke didn’t touch upon it either.

0000000

Loud banging on the front door next morning was the reason for Sasuke to take the pan off the stove. He guessed right with that it was the annoyingly persistent bone-head who sought entrance again.

Naruto was met with a fist when he tried to barge in just when the door opened.

“Teme, what was that for?” He rubbed his jaw. The hit could have been harder, they both knew it. Sasuke wordlessly let him enter, closing the door quietly. 

“Wow, this smells good!” Naruto had already found his way into the kitchen when Sasuke joined him. He slapped his hands away automatically and got the dishes out. Naruto had already taken a seat.

“They assigned us a D-Rank today, can you believe it? D-Rank, what is Baa-chan thinking? It's a waste of skill.”

“Oh, Kakashi probably requested one after he left here yesterday.” Sakura was standing in the door frame, still in her pajamas and looking tired as if she hadn't slept a lot at all.

Sasuke had heard her toss and turn in bed at night, however, heeded her request of not enter her room if he didn't know whether she was decent or not. He hadn't gotten up, waiting for the point where the day’s exhaustion caught up with him and knock him out.

It wasn't really his business anyway, he wouldn't be the one to ask questions.

Naruto's voice returned him to the current time. Annoyed, Sasuke filled a plate and shoved it under Naruto's nose. Naruto grabbed onto the plate, starting to eat, not losing any words about it.

“Dobe!” Sasuke roughly pushed the others head towards the food.

“Teme! What was that for?”

Tatakai ignored Naruto’s beef and instead filled Sakura's plate, handing it to her quietly, all gentleman. Taking it it with a smile, she joined them. Naruto’s eyes widened, automatically lowering his spoon as he realized that he should have waited for the others. Sakura had watched their exchange quizzically. Tatakai had spoken, even though it just had been an insult, and he was acting more openly and natural than she'd ever seen him do. Now she sat waiting, signaling with her gaze for him to join them. Quickly, he took a few tomatoes from the fridge, sitting down on the third chair. She wondered if Naruto was aware that Tatakai had given the meal to him he’d intended for himself. But that was something they had to settle amongst themselves.

“Itadakimasu!” She bowed her head in thanks toward Tatakai, who only took a bite from the tomato he held in his hand, not acknowledging her much.

“So what is the D-Rank about. Naruto. You haven't told us that part yet…?”

“Eh, uh… I came straight here. It starts like in half an hour, thought I’d get my team together first… I haven't checked yet.” Naruto took out the scroll, putting it on the table for all to see.

Sasuke barely leaned forward, having a good view already. So he'd be alone again today... not that he minded. He was done reading far quicker than the others. Sakura finally leaned back while Naruto still intently stared at the paper when Sakura spoke up:

“Hmm, I can see why they didn't assign a Genin team, but us instead. I think you'll enjoy the mission, Naruto.”

“What's so great about having to build up stands for a festival?”

“Urgh, Naruto, can't you read to end carefully for once? Seriously, the work is cut out for you!”

“Building up stands… even villagers can manage that...” Naruto mumbled sulking, though looking over the paper again.

“Aah, wait…. Four people?… This mission says four people! But Sai's on a mission. The mission clerk said nothing about someone else assisting us.”

Sasuke looked up, checking if Sakura was missing these peculiar habits about her teammate, or chose to rightout ignore them… But she already inhaled to talk again. Sasuke was wondering, if Naruto had read the mission instructions right, indeed.

“As I said, Kakashi probably requested a mission yesterday. The fourth member will be Tatakai therefore.” 

“What?” Naruto’s spoon dropped once more.

Apparently, no one had informed Naruto about the newest developments yet.

“Oh, sorry, I suppose no one told you yet.” A slight blush hushed on her cheeks. Tatakai agreed to help us out yesterday… So yeah, he’s with us now.” She paused to let the words sink in but seeing that they would need to be at places soon, she continued. “Let's just discuss the mission now. I'll try finding Kakashi afterwards. We should be going soon… So, how about you, Naruto, start thinking up pranks while preparing the fireworks? They want a challenge parcours for kids and I'm sure you'll need all the time you get to set that up after finishing the firework preps. Sounds good?”

The lapse of reaction was only noticeable if you looked for it, Naruto usually was quick to pick up things and piece them together after all. Sasuke had been waiting for it, though.

“Pranks?” Naruto finally spoke up. “Sounds good, leave it to me. Hey Tatakai, you're with me!” Naruto pointed his spoon at him. His target looked unimpressed. “Aah, come on! It will be fun. You'll get a crash course in how to prank from number one Prankster in Konoha!”

“Hn” Sasuke pointed towards the used dishes.

“Dishwashing!? Really? You can do that later, man. It won’t go bad.”

“Naruto, let him do his job first. I’ll go change, then search for Kakashi. Don't kill each other while I'm away...” Sakura left the room.

As quick as that, the both of them were alone, and Sasuke's smoldering gaze met Naruto's enthusiastic one. Wordlessly, he got up to wash the plates and Naruto, for once, remained quiet. Sulking, he was trying to stare him down first, but then got up and even helped him dry. Together, the work was quickly done and they made their way to the mentioned location. Naruto had cheered up again on the way, and as they went to collect the items needed, he was back in his talkative mood.

“So, ever done fireworks before, Tatakai?” 

“Not really.”

Naruto looked up, not truly having expected a response, but happy about it nonetheless.

“I'll show you how then.”

They both sat, coding the flower-fires and preparing the tags to set off at a simple command. It was quite interesting for Sasuke to see the blonde write out complex seals when he just shortly had witnessed the other struggling with reading. He searched out the other’s eyes, almost transferring the thought in his mind before he realized what he was doing. He looked away a tiny moment, then harrumphed irritatedly.

Naruto looked up in question. It brought Sasuke back from his musings, self conscious as to what he'd been about to ask and how easily it almost had slipped out. Sasuke had witnessed the other doing it. Waiting for the mission to be discussed; waiting for the others to divide up the work, explaining it in the process; Distracting in any way, if it meant to keep them from finding out about his hardships.

Sasuke wondered if Kakashi was aware of it, too? He’d have to observe. He looked at what Naruto was writing, knitting his eyebrows at what he wrote out with the sealing radicals. This one seemed fairly complex, much more complex than what Naruto had instructed him on. It looked like a design for a chain reaction of forms that the sparks would spread out of. And he'd explained the basic forms, as in ‘how do you do a circle’, ‘a star’ and such.

Naruto's seals however had more swing, some were painstakingly regular, as any geometrical form would be. Some seemed mirrored, others might even have been animated. How come Naruto was so good in drafting seals? How could someone who seemed to struggle with reading be able to map out seals so masterly? However, observing Naruto's creations, Sasuke did in fact see some logic behind, maybe it wasn't actually all that hard. Naruto, by now, had taken note of where Sasuke had been staring.

“Looks cool, doesn't it?”

“Hn.” The noncommittal sound seemed to encourage the other further.

“You wouldn't believe how useful simple seals are for pranks! Took me a while to get the hang of it, but Kakashi never knew what hit him, hehe… Oh yes, that was tons better than the chalk eraser that first day.”

Sasuke returned his attention to the tag seals, not sure if he wanted to know the story behind that. A few minutes later, they were finishing up.

“Alright, now you'll get a little crash course in pranking. I'm guessing you haven't had the pleasure, have you? As a slave, I mean.”

Sasuke didn't care to voice his opinion on the matter, he only motioned Naruto to lead the way. What he discovered was, that they were actually setting up a mock parcours for the kids with traps, challenges and, specialty of Naruto, apparently prank-ish special effects.

“Hey, Tatakai, what do you think of splitting up the way here with a trap door?” He was pointing at a spot on the draft he had made. Sasuke just shrugged. He had no opinion of it and really didn’t care.

They continued and Sasuke grew continuously more annoyed at Naruto and his antics. He was glad when Naruto announced, that he needed to collect some more items and left him to finish up the trap. Sasuke breathed out in relief.

He could barely believe it. That idiot was still the same attention seeking annoyance as back when they went to school together. It seemed ridiculous that they asked him to do pranks now when back then, everyone had been so annoyed about it. He remembered having witnessed Naruto getting yelled at many times enough... This whole day, memories had been surfacing, as Naruto lead him to places and corners where Sasuke had been before as a kid. Naruto's gimmicks were still so similar to back then, while he himself had changed so drastically. Sasuke remembered running through these streets with his other Uchiha kids, he remembered having fun with them. The memories hurt. All of these people were dead now. None of them would run around the corner to join him. He was alone.

Naruto wasn't. The realization took him off guard somehow, so much that he ceased the hand movements, which had been in the process of binding together wooden logs for that trap door. Naruto, with his annoying antics: He had friends.

Sasuke had seen it in Sakura's eyes: The passive leniency with which she expressed her fondness towards Naruto. Every time Naruto almost took her door down in the early morning; all the little gestures that spoke of deep caring; the reprimanding without actually backing up with consequences… He'd seen it with Sai, too: Sai, who seemed weirdly impaired in emotional aspects but claimed that Naruto had reached out to him and given him hold somehow. Even Kakashi expressed it: Sometimes with a sad look in the eyes, he patiently overlooked Naruto’s behavior.

And here  _ he  _ stood, isolated, without perspectives to improve his situation: A slave to Sakura, having spent the time before slavery half plotting revenge against his brother, half trying to figure out Itachi's reasons for doing what he'd done.

It hurt so much to remember that he'd known Itachi was indeed awake one time when Sasuke had held a knife above his temple. For once Itachi hadn’t done anything to stop him. He simply had lain there, not speaking, unmoving, eyes closed and eyelids relaxed. His breathing only slightly hitched in what sounded like symptoms of a cold, not from awareness that someone was there with harmful intentions.

Then again Sasuke had known that he was awake, because Itachi's instincts were far too strong to not move, when he felt danger, even asleep. He simply had to be awake to repress them actively. The knowledge had felt like an ice cold grip around his heart. 

He'd held the Kunai ready to drive down at any time. Staring down at his brother, his clan's murderer. The calm, serene expression the other wore, just as if he really were asleep. Why? He remembered so many questions that had run through his head. The tears threatening to spill at the thought of killing the only family he had left. That deep need to understand the foreigner before him, whom he had known as a kind loving brother a long time ago.

His hand had been shaking and he'd bitten his lip to keep his emotions in check. He remembered not feeling that pain at all though. It had felt like his thoughts would eventually rip him apart, so that insignificant temporary pain was nothing to pay attention to.

This murderer wasn't supposed to simply lay there and let Sasuke kill him. He always had canceled out any attempt while training. Even the less honourable attempts like poisoning a soup he’d prepared. Somehow Itachi had always known. He'd even asked Sasuke if he wanted him to drink it at that particular killing attempt. In hindsight, Itachi must have been testing him, his resolve, and Sasuke had been so shocked that he'd actually tried to stop Itachi when he indeed lifted the soup to his lips. Just for itachi to smile and poof out of existence a moment later. Sasuke still remembered the relief flooding through him, shaking him to his core.

He wondered if he wanted his brother to be alive still. Whether it would be better if he just died from whatever disease that had been gnawing at him back then; without anyone helping along. Or if it would be okay, too, if someone else got there first before Sasuke had a chance to try again. How much did he really want to claim revenge? Did he want the kill be his and his alone? He wanted it to be his own choice in the end, not by Itachi’s will or “approval”...

Sasuke also remembered that incident when he'd held that Kunai. He’d expected that it was a trap again. He'd never had a chance against his perfect brother before. Was this a Kage Bunshin, another shadow clone… like it had been with the soup? He realized, even with the Sharingan on, he had no way to know but to follow his instincts, which told him that this was indeed the real Itachi, and no clone. Sasuke had drawn in another ragged breath, his whole body shaking under the emotional strain. He just couldn't do it. It felt wrong, especially when he was so unsure; when he felt so divided about his brother. Suppressing a scream, he’d slowly lowered his hand and had stared at Itachi's face, just to discover tears streaming down from his brother’s closed eyes.

Up till today Sasuke wasn't sure what those tears had meant. Only that it had been one of the only times, Itachi had cried directly in front of him. Had Itachi been sad that his own brother had the wish to kill him?… Or, as came to Sasuke's mind a few days later when the coughing started (which not only didn't stop for a long time, but also looked unbearably painful and had left Itachi drained and weak), had Itachi actually had a weak moment and had wanted to die? He didn't even want to consider that possibility. It left him feeling cold.

Where was his brother now? Sasuke refused to believe him dead. In the years being together with him, he had realized that Itachi actually was far from perfect; that he indeed actually had weaknesses and that he was worryingly sick, but if anything, his brother was tough. Sasuke felt himself shivering.

Remembering the tears that he himself had spilt after seeing his brother cry back then, he, once again, felt closer to tears than he liked. Violently shaking his head, Sasuke forced himself back to the present, picking up his work again. He focused on his hands as if they would help him to keep in the present this time. Still, every once in a while, his thoughts ran back to the pictures burned into his mind.

Naruto returned some minutes later, playfully greeting him by throwing some kind of ball towards his head. Sasuke swiftly picked it out of the air and threw it back with such force and tempo, that Naruto barely had time to dodge.

“Hey woah!... What kind of thunder cloud have you transformed into now? I meant no harm!”

Naruto's appeasing smile only reminded him of his musings before they had wandered to Itachi, and that certainly didn't help his mood either. Luckily Naruto had turned to create whatever he had planned to build and by the time they were done in this corner, he himself had calmed down considerably.

“Hey Teme, are you any good with Genjutsu?” Naruto restarted conversation. “Maybe you could cover this place for me? I'll start with the next one already, alright?“ Naruto evaded an answer by being gone in a moment’s notice. Sasuke had had no time to protest.

Vexed, Sasuke got to work, only to follow where Naruto had gone a moment later. His tracking skills lead him to the river. A safe, calm spot that had no turbulences and could easily be supervised from a guard’s watch tower.

Naruto was at the edge of it, leaning over some log, or rather, there were multiple Narutos: Some were leaning over said logs, others pulling them into the water. Another flash of memories: He knew this part, he'd taken that challenge too, as a child, as an academy student. Back, when his world still had been complete and undisturbed.

“Oy Teme, don't just look, come help me!”

It sure didn't look like the idiot needed help though, which was why Sasuke hesitated. It hadn't been the first time today that Naruto had used clones, but he never had used that many. Really, on a good day his brother could create up to seven shadow clones for a short time… However right now he could see at least thrice as many Narutos, if not more.

Sasuke felt unneeded.

Sasuke stared at the finished log crossing across the river. Actually it was part of a training routine for pre-Genin and Genin. The logs were just taken out for maintenance. Before the festival, they were thoroughly checked and any unsuitable logs would be replaced and then chained up to each other again, end to end. He remembered Itachi having brought him here to train balance once, too, outside of festival time.

Naruto was just finishing up, only two remaining clones were still helping. Soon they popped out of existence as well.

“Alright, we’re done here. Let's meet up with Sakura and Kakashi now.”

Sasuke followed Naruto. It wasn’t easy to keep track of him. Not in the matter of speed but Naruto was rooting for passages he himself wouldn’t even consider using (not if he had the option of roof-top travel)… Naruto slit into shadowed, small alleys and let himself drop into backyards. Sasuke frowned, why Naruto would still do so, these days?

“Aah, wasn't that fun? Our own little challenge for today!” Sasuke only stared at him.

They found Sakura and Kakashi at a more lively area, building up a stage.

“Aah, finally! Took you two long enough. Come on, we need all the hands we can get.”

“Ey, we were super fast, right Tatakai? Well, he definitely is new to pranking though, gotta teach him some stuff.” Naruto had readily jumped in and started assisting. Sasuke stayed where he was, folding his arms. Why should he lift a finger if Naruto could simply create his clones?

“Hey Tatakai, why aren't you helping? Come on, it's not that heavy. Don’t worry, we won’t make you lift things that are still too heavy while you’re recovering. If it doesn’t work out, there’s still us.”

Sasuke stared at Sakura, somewhat flabbergasted. Had she forgotten what he was? Why didn't she just order him? And then that comment, if it was too heavy for him… No one had ever told him something like that, what was this silliness? There had always been expectations to fulfill, with his family, with Itachi, and as a slave it hadn’t been all that different (though he’d certainly rebelled against it far more). Sure, she hadn't implied that he was incapable, he'd caught on to that, but really, why didn't they simply do it themselves with Naruto and his clones. Naruto’s trained body was much more suitable than his indeed still recovering one. as she herself had mentioned it… 

The whole concept of being here, it was nonsense. Sakura didn't seem to realize his status, so why help? They were more than capable to finish this on their own. They didn't even need real ninja skills for this. Sasuke had made his decision and turned away angrily. Yes, he was leaving.

“Hey, Tatakai, what's wrong?” Sakura called out.

He didn't stop. They clearly wouldn't understand his reasons, and he didn't care anyway. He'd had enough.

“Teme, you can't just leave! We're in the middle of a mission...” Naruto, who had been standing by a pile of planks he’d been picking up, saw Tatakai’s shoulders move with a bitter chuckling sound, but the other didn't turn back around to the construction site. The other didn't even bother to answer, only continued walking away with steady steps.

“Teme! Haven't you ever heard about what team means? There is still work to do. You accepted this mission like everyone else, so do your part!”

Sasuke kept walking. Outwards the words didn't seem to have any effect on him, inside though, a storm was boiling. Team?! Team suggested equality. What choice had he had but to accept the mission? And as for “Do your part”, Sakura clearly had stated that they’d cover his part in case he couldn't. Why were they still bothering him? He was sick of it. Sick of the memories; Sick of the whole dealing with people; Sick of the confusion; Sick of everything. His need to be alone just increased in the light of their demands as he walked.

He barely blocked the incoming attack, but disarmed Naruto from his Kunai in time and pointed it back towards him, not to actually threaten, but to keep him at distance. His nerves lay bare. 

“What's the hell wrong with you!?” Naruto's eyes mirrored Sasuke’s confusion. “I won't let you leave us, hear me? We'll complete this mission together!”

Sasuke put all his anger into the punch and in the blink of an eye they were in combat.

What was wrong with  _ him _ , they asked? What was wrong?… What was wrong with  _ them _ ? What did Sakura want with him? And why was Naruto so hell bent in having him on their team, here, today!?

His eyes flashed red: 'Why?!'

Another punch; Another block; Another Kunai thrown. Naruto was screaming at him now.

“WHY? Because you're part of us now! You’re part of the team! There is no ‘I’ in 'TEAM', heard me? Would you walk away in a battle, too? Are you that kind of Shinobi? Well, in that case, you better shouldn’t be one!”

Oh, he didn’t say that! Sasuke sped up, seething now. But Naruto attacked first, Sasuke evaded him, landing a kick. The monument threw Naruto back, making him cough and gasp for breath, but he picked himself up quickly, running at Sasuke again. They were grabbing each other, digging in their nails. Sasuke could feel Naruto's hot breath.

“Would you? ...Dare to abandon us on a mission? Do you even realize what you're doing? What that means? To ‘abandon’ someone! And you call me 'useless'... You don't do that, hear me? You just don't!”

He threw the other backwards with violence, the action accompanied by a roar, racking through his (and everyone else’s) bones. He’d been screaming in frustration.

“Calm down!” Kakashi’s voice carried over. 

Sasuke ignored the old man’s words, turning back to Naruto, his actual opponent. “Don't you  _ dare  _ judge me!”

Sasuke was back on Naruto, delivering more punches, forcing him to block and dodge. He was shaking.

“Then start acting like a man and help!”

The reply to that came with violence. Sasuke had grabbed Naruto by his throat. “Do it yourself, clone-maker! You and your entourage, you don't need me! I don't belong. Stop acting like I do!”

Then, Sasuke was grabbed in a headlock from behind and forced to let go of Naruto. Sasuke marginally saw the fair head stumbling backwards, coughing, Sakura upon her comrade within a moment... But he was quite occupied with fighting off the hands holding him. How dare they touch him? How dare they push him to explode?

“Leave me alone!” He yelled.

“You're causing a commotion.” Kakashi’s voice was in his ears.

Like he would care.

“Your deal was to assist the missions. Have you forgotten already?”

“This is no mission. Anyone can do this. I don't see the point. This is no ninja work, and if so, then use Kage Bunshin! Me helping is pointless.” Sasuke had ceased trying to wind out of the grasp, though his fingers still clawed Kakashi’s arm.

“Ah, so you're failing to see the point in this mission, is that what you’re saying? I'm glad we figured that out. You clearly don't understand anything about some most basic things about being a ninja, then. I think I should ask you then if you’ve ever worked in a team before at all!?” 

“Of course I have-”

Kakashi cut him off. “Do you understand the importance of trust?…  _ Naruto, Sakura, would you please wrap this up? I'll take this conversation somewhere more private! _ ”

Sasuke had barely heard anything after the word “trust”.

Trust, tch. It made him laugh, more bitter even than before. Trust? Yes, he knew trust. He could  _ trust  _ in the fact that he couldn't understand his brother… 

Kakashi suddenly let go, pushing Sasuke away, grabbing his arm immediately. “Come on, we're leaving.” The youth was pulled along.

Sasuke didn't keep track of where they were going, in fact they were already traveling through the woods a good minute when he gathered his senses enough to realize, that Kakashi was still holding his arm. He tried to rip it away and Kakashi released him at once, much to Sasuke’s surprise. Sasuke just followed without thinking until Kakashi stopped.

“And?... Do you understand it?… The meaning of trust?”

That word again.That concept which had been alienated to him to the point where he didn't know if he could take it serious anymore. He barely suppressed the need to laugh.

“Trust.…” Kakashi really found himself so smart, didn’t he? The chuckling broke free again. This was just so macabre... funny.  _ His brother _ , killing their whole clan, but trust  _ him  _ to keep him, his brother, alive… Trust  _ him  _ to not explain himself. Trust  _ him  _ to train his only brother, so he could hold his own, but still have his back in missions together.

Had Itachi ever trusted _ him, _ though? He, who had thought about taking revenge almost every day? Itachi had actually let him have his back, but Sasuke knew, often enough Itachi could have easily managed on his own. And finally, trust his brother to become a slave to save his brother's life…

“What do  _ you _ understand about it?” The kid just screamed, not having calmed down at all. Kakashi had long ago recognized the crazed expression on his face. Apparently ‘trust’ had not been a good word.

“What is on your mind?” He carefully asked. It was clear that he was treading dangerous ground. Anything could set the other off.

“As if I would tell you!”

“Touché.” Kakashi said, innerly rolling his eyes. Seems like this almost grown-up still had the same childish attitude/moments, much like some others he knew... But he’d better use the opportunity to maybe relief the atmosphere of some tension. “Alright, moving on. What do you think this mission was about?” He needed to distract him, to get him to calm down. Indeed, the other took the question in, and set out to reply, a bit more calmly. And the answer itself was not quite what he had thought it might be, either, much more thought through than expected in fact.

“If it was to test my reliance, I think it’s not really telling. I understand why Naruto did the parcours, but building up a stage isn’t ninja work at all.”

Kakashi took his time carefully thinking over his words before answering. “You haven't been raised as a ninja belonging to a village, have you?”

“No, I suppose not.” He said dismissively. The answer was satisfyingly calmer than the last, but still had a certain bite in it.

“Do you know how a village’s system introduces Shinobi to their job?” He prodded, hoping to get the other to further think and get back on the ground with his emotions through it. Somewhere inside Kakashi was amused, now that Tatakai's silence was broken, he was quite capable of holding a conversation.

“They graduate from academy, start as Genin, work their way up, take the Chuunin test and so on. Every child knows that.”

“True. However, that was not what I meant. Let's stay with the Genin for a moment. Genin start out with relatively simple missions, called D-Ranks. Missions that have less to do with ninja work, but more with teamwork. Because, how will you be able to rely on your team, if you don't know how one works?! Of course higher ups don't need that anymore, as they know how a team functions and how they need to act to fit in. However, they will still train together to attune to one another.

“Genin, however, don't have that experience yet, so they need to learn what working together means, especially in non dangerous situations. They need learn to be acutely aware of their teammates’ skill-set and personality traits to make it work. That is why they take on small missions in the village itself, like weeding someone’s garden, searching for a pet, or even walking the dogs.

“Now, we don't know you at all, so it was important for me, as the team leader, to see how you would react to such a mission…”

So, it was as Sasuke had thought, a test of reliance. His tantrum surely hadn’t helped his score. But what the other said... it made sense, even though he had hardly heard about those missions from Itachi, who really had been pushed through the ranks. Kakashi was still missing the point, though.

“... but I might have miscalculated the position you're in. See, I don't know if you knew, but Sai is a slave, too. So I didn't think it would be a problem, however, having grown up in our village, his background is different from yours.”

Sasuke only huffed at that. No joke…

“So, yes, you're right, we didn't truly need you on this mission. Yet it was important for you to be there and help. The point was to get the work done as a team, you included.” Kakashi well recalled what Tatakai had screamed in his rage. It would be important for them to have that confusion out of the way: Tatakai had mentioned that he didn't belong.

“I think it's time to clear up some things. For one, I know your owner is in the team with you here. I know this must be weird for you, but Sakura does not see it that way. As long as you're working together with us, within the team, you will be seen as equal… just like Sai. Even though it might be easier for him, since his owner does not participate in missions…” Kakashi shortly shrugged with his shoulders before he continued.

“Then another thing: There will come a time some day where we will be on a mission and then we will need to be able to rely on you. While you might be bound to Sakura, this does not ensure your loyalty, so you will still need to prove that to us. But I assure you, if you do, you will be taken on missions where you’re gonna be needed at some point. Even so, we often take on missions that technically could be taken on with fewer people, but depending on the danger, having backup is very important. Therefore, you're right, sometimes it might feel like we're too many people, but most often, there is a reason behind that. 

“And also, though I doubt you actually believed that Naruto's technique was an ultimate solution, I'll tell you his shadow clones might be useful, but he also has his weaknesses. Therefore it’s good to have other people with other ways to approach things.”

Kakashi observed Tatakai, just as Tatakai observed him. There was no doubt that Tatakai had fully understood what he had said, even if he didn't express so in words.

Sasuke indeed had taken in Kakashi's words. He agreed with Naruto having weaknesses very much, the loudmouth had surprised him a couple of times today, though. He still refused to look at today’s activities as a real mission, even if he could see the reasoning behind it.

“Aah, and one more thing. I apologize for Naruto… While I agree with what he says, I've been the one teaching him after all, he shouldn't have accused you like he did. For you to understand, one of my main beliefs is that in the Shinobi world, those that break the written and unwritten rules are deemed trash… but be that as it may… Those that would disregard their comrades so easily are even worse than trash. And those who don't have the decency to respect the memories of their comrades are the worst.

“Naruto has adapted this world view. In addition to that, he’s grown up very lonely, so his comrades, his team, mean everything to him. He doesn’t take lightly to someone challenging that belief.”

Sasuke stared at him. He hadn't had comrades since before the massacre. And for now there was only one thought ringing through his head:

“Then… what about family?”

Itachi hadn't just killed his comrades, he had killed his entire family, him being the only exception. But he had also been the one to teach him what this man had just told him. He hadn't voiced it a lot, only once or twice. But Itachi had lived the words he had taught. He indeed respected the memory of the ones he'd murdered. And he had never fought Sasuke's open scorn towards him either, he had borne it silently without complain.

Kakashi had not expected a question, especially not one like that. But now that Tatakai mentioned it, he recalled reading about him having a brother. Painting Tatakai in an image of what he represented now, a lone fighter, someone with no one to trust and rely on. He simply didn't know what to make of it. He had no idea of Tatakai's past, the glimpses that had been revealed were few and without obvious relation. In addition to that, betrayal wasn't uncommon in Shinobi families either. In the end any bonds could be a risk and trust was indeed a hard issue. But it was a necessary part for teamwork even so.

“I don't know anything about you Tatakai, however, I will at least try to answer your question. I believe in the Shinobi world, sometimes the bonds you've chosen feel more reliable than the bonds given by the family. In the end, everyone of us chooses their own path based on what they set their hopes on. And family for me is a term that defines those you love, those that are important to you. Regardless of any blood relations. Is that understandable?”

Sasuke nodded with a faraway look in his eyes. Indeed, it was an interesting thought, and funnily enough he'd never really thought about all this deeper. He never had any reason to. Back when he’d lived in Konoha, family always had been the most important matter. And family didn’t only mean the close degree of kinship, but the entire clan, the great Uchiha kin. Outsiders were tolerated but derided often enough. Sasuke had learned that he could only rely on his own blood. His father had taught him these values, cherished them. Then Itachi had killed them all and suddenly all that Sasuke had left of the one and only reliable core he’d known, had been the one who’d betrayed them, their murderer. There just had to be a reason! What was it that Itachi had his hopes on? Or had he really just snapped under the pressure of the Clan? Had Itachi ever expressed any hopes at all? 

Actually, Sasuke remembered Itachi trying to get him to interact and spend time with other people… strangers… even some villagers, non-Shinobi at far off places… All outsiders. Sasuke, however, had continued to refuse any advances at trying to change his social life. What had Itachi tried to achieve with that?

Sasuke just didn't understand at all. He heard Kakashi clear his throat, as if to get his attention.

“Well. I know this is hard, and that you most likely won't ever act on the offer, but just so you know. As a member of my team, I want you to know that you may come to me if there is anything bothering you… I know you don't trust me… and I know that I wouldn't either, if I was in your position. But just know, I'll try to be there for you, should you need it.”

No kidding, he could never trust this man. Not without knowing how an outsider had gained his Clan's Kekkei Genkai. The eye was covered by the forehead protector right now, but that only reminded Sasuke, that this man indeed had it. Right, this man wished him to trust, this would be posed as a new test, a way to get the information he wanted. He just had to think of a way to not reveal the reason of his interest, nor any possible backtracking the fact, that he was an Uchiha.

Kakashi had seen the little tiny changes on Tatakai's face, ending in a determined stare, one, that didn't fully fit with the hesitant way the question was presented.

“Alright, then tell me… I thought these eyes were extinct… how come you possess one?”

00000

She saw her teammate falling to the ground, but by the time she’d reached him, Naruto already was getting back on his feet, though still heaving. He sucked in air in gasps to fill his lungs with fresh air. Sakura immediately started checking him over. She heard the screaming behind them, but paid it no heed. Only after she had verified to herself, that Naruto was alright, she turned her attention back to the happenings:

_ “... understand anything about some most basic things about being a ninja, then. I think I should ask you then if you’ve ever worked in a team before at all!?”  _ She knew Kakashi’s Sensei mode well.

_ “Of course I have...”  _ Tatakai’s voice proved of the rebellion against the words, but Kakashi didn’t let him finish. 

_ “Do you understand the importance of trust?… _ Naruto, Sakura, would you please wrap this up, I'll take this conversation somewhere more private!”

Sakura turned to Kakashi at the mention of her name and quickly nodded. Tatakai’s expression had looked nowhere stable nor safe for society. Within a blink Kakashi had disappeared from the site with Tatakai in tow. Naruto appeared at her side. He did not look directly shaken, but rather absorbed in something. He wasn’t quite brooding, but thoughtful didn’t fit, either. Wordlessly they got back to building up the stage.

That had been the first time when she had really heard Tatakai talk… And it hasn’t been a pleasant experience. The accusing tone, the underlying confusion, but first and foremost, that honesty and directness. Very unusual for a ninja. Was that the reason why he didn’t talk? No, she doubted that, it didn’t fit. What stayed in her mind however, were his words.

_ “.... You don't need me!...” _

The words left an uncomfortable touch in her thoughts… Did they?… need him? Well, with Naruto’s Kage Bunshin, things could be simple, but he surely hadn’t thought that this was all the mission was about. And then, there was another thing he’d said, that left her wondering.

_ “... I don't belong. Stop acting like I do!” _

So this was how he saw them. The self-proclaimed mates and friends of his? Did he see Sai like that, too? Thinking of Sai: What if Sai was feeling the same way about their comradeship? No, Sai was different, he even consulted literature about how to intensify their friendship… But it didn’t seem like Tatakai was very keen in making friends with them, nor trying to fit in the team.

If he’d wanted to stay a simple slave, he wouldn’t had agreed in joining their teams on missions. ? So why was he so mad when they asked him for help? Working in a team made everything easier, quicker, safer, though this hadn’t been a dangerous mission at all. Building up the stage was maybe a bit on the boring side, but every job had them, and as a ninja, there were peaks of boredom as well as those of excitement. She doubted that the tasks of a slave were more interesting than that…. And working with Naruto must be fun for another guy, she guessed. He always came up with something interesting and would make work fun in some way if he had the chance, like for the parcours today. So why was Tatakai so upset?... Her train of thought was broken by Naruto:

“Sakura, did you see his face when Kakashi mentioned ‘trust’? I mean, he sure didn’t like being criticized by Kakashi either, but… It looked like he went crazy… like, really mad.” Naruto’s expression reflected his concern.

“Kakashi will see to it. But Naruto, I don’t think Tatakai wants friend. Maybe you should give him some space.”

“Ugh, Sakura, of course he doesn’t, just look at him! Didn’t you hear what Kakashi was saying?”

“I was a bit preoccupied with your health to be honest. What was he saying?”

“He was asking him if he had worked in a team before. He also said that Tatakai didn’t understand some ninja principles. That kinda surprised me... At last he was asking, if Tatakai understood the importance of trust… That’s when he started laughing all psycho. Kinda scary, if you ask me.”

Sakura looked at him. They were right, Tatakai’s actions did mock some basic principles of Shinobi. However considering the other questions, like, if he had worked in a team… They suggested, that Kakashi didn’t believe that it had been done intentionally. The subject of trust was a bit more difficult. She knew what Kakashi had meant. The question was, how Tatakai had taken it… clearly not very well.

“Let’s just wait until they’re back. Come on, help me put these support beams where they belong.”

0000000

_ “Alright, then tell me… I thought these eyes were extinct… how come you possess one?” _

Another weirdly placed question, though considering the boy’s reaction to the eye, Kakashi could have expected it to come up at some point. And the other was giving him a chance at explaining, which he supposed, was good.

“First of all, you should know that it isn’t  _ my  _ Sharingan, Tatakai. It’s someone else’s. He was an Uchiha, of course, but moreover, he was a friend. I received it on his deathbed.”

Tatakai was observing him with cold eyes. 

“I know, I can’t give you any proof, but it is the truth. And if it meant that my friend could return to the living, I’d gladly sacrifice the Sharingan.” 

“What was his name?” The boy finally asked, voice icy.

“Uchiha Obito. I doubt you’ve ever heard of him. He died a long time ago.”

The dark eyes watching him had turned away, a thoughtful expression on the face.

“Are there more people like you… owning… a Sharingan?” 

“Never heard of anyone else, no. I might be the last Sharingan bearer.” Kakashi looked out for any reaction, but the other had only taken on a guarded expression, making it hard to read him. “Are you afraid of me? Because of the Sharingan?”

“No.” a suppressed chuckle, still cold in character, accompanied the short statement. 

Kakashi regarded him closely. The boy was acting really strange. He searched the boy’s face for answers. Tatakai met his eyes, but he didn’t linger either, instead he straightened up, as if to go.

“Are we done here?”

The dismissive tone told Kakashi that the subject was considered closed. Weird.

Kakashi wasn’t sure if his answer had set the other at ease. It seemed that, after the outburst, Tatakai had clad himself in an iron curtain of coldness and detachment. Something that reminded Kakashi a lot of his ANBU times.

“Yeah, I suppose. Let’s go back and see if the others are done.”

Tatakai followed him easily. It appeared that the others had finished on their own, so he sent Tatakai home.

00000

Sakura was indeed already home when he returned, reading some book in the kitchen. He went to his room, getting the things he needed for training, and was about to sneak out again when she opened her mouth, how unfortunate.

“Where are you going?”

He turned back, slamming down a slip of paper.

“Why don’t you just say it? Wouldn’t it be easier?... So you’re going to train, now?”

“Hn”

“Alright, the festival starts at six. Be back here at five.”

He left through the door without another word.

00000

Sasuke wasn’t going. He wasn’t planning to. He’d had enough of the memory lane for today and he wasn’t keen to be in their presence any longer, either. Why did he have to go to the stupid festival anyway? Why couldn’t he just come by a couple of times, check upon the parcours, and leave again, why did he have to attend? Too many memories tied back to Itachi with such events and the last thing he needed was another reminder.

He started on hand-to-hand combat exercises, then went over to Kenjutsu, drawing the practice sword. He didn’t keep an eye on the time. Quite knowingly so.

00000

It was short before five when Sakura returned to the apartment. It having come to her mind, that Tatakai had no nice clothes to wear for the festival, she had taken matters into her own hands and went to search. Of course it was no obligation, but she thought a present like that would be a nice gesture, and also hopefully would make him feel a part of the group.

Actually what had happened was, that she had tracked down Naruto, to see if he was up to dressing up in traditional clothes, too, if he had any. Of course for him it ended up being on the orange side, a deep orange-red Kimono with black Hakama and Haori. But he’d actually been of some help picking out something for Tatakai.

That something had been white to dark blue in colour, simple, without ornaments. The suggestion of buying a Hakama had come from Naruto. It’d be more practical for moving around when they’d check up on the parcours this evening which was part of the mission. Sakura was pleased, that it would give him another set of clothing, a more formal one, which might come in handy sometimes.

She had a distinct feeling that Tsunade had set them up for this mission to get her out of the house. Then again, Kakashi had requested one for them, and pranks were Naruto’s specialty, so maybe it was a little bit of all of those.

Quarter past five, she had changed out of her regular clothes and was tying the Obi around the waist. Wait, quarter past five? Tatakai had yet to return. Well, she’d give him five more minutes.

Ten minutes passed but he still hadn’t shown up. Well, there was some time left. She decided to pick him up at the Hokage Monument (he should be there, according to his note)… a place he liked going to, apparently. When she got there, she however only found fresh tracks of practice, but no Tatakai. She must have missed him. But if had he gone home, they should have met on the way... Where was he? Well, the time frame was getting tighter now, better use that tracking seal now.

00000

Sasuke felt the seal. So she was searching. Yeah the sun told him that supposedly, he should have been home a while ago. Not that he cared. It wasn’t his home. He wasn’t an idiot, though, it would not help anyone to try to stay hidden, least of all him. What to do about the festival, he’d see to it when he met up with Sakura.

Walking, he wondered if Sakura realized that as long as her counter seal was active, the function went both ways. He could track her just as easily, just not on his own whim like she could... Ah, there she was. He felt her presence before he caught sight of her and stopped, startled. She wore a Yukata and wooden Geta shoes, and though it was to be expected to her wear traditional clothing for the festival, it bewildered him. He hadn’t seen her wearing one before. She looked different.

“Ah, Tatakai, there you are… You’re late. Come on, we gotta hurry.” She grabbed his hand and took off. Annoyed he pulled his hand away. At least she didn’t cling on.

When they arrived at the apartment, she quickly disappeared and he just went to his room to get his shower materials. No matter what came next, he didn’t feel like staying sweaty if he had the option to wash. He was just coming out of his room, clothes in one hand, towel in another, when she reappeared in front of him.

“Here!” She held out a box.

Perplexed, he eyed it. It was big and he had no idea what this was about.

“Come on, open it.” She seemed excited, a bit unsure.

He laid his things over his arm and took the box, lifting the lid carefully. Eyes widening slightly, when he saw the contents.

“It’s a present, I realized that you had nothing adequate to wear for tonight. Naruto helped me pick it.”

Naruto did? Now he was plain surprised, really. The clothes were nice. The design was simple, decent in color. And by the looks of it, she had even bought a Haori to wear over the Kimono. Slowly he closed the lid, staring at it. A present… Awkwardly, he leaned forward indicating a bow.

“Arigatou” The word had slipped through his lips so easily, this kind of modesty having been ingrained into his being as a child.

A knock interrupted them. The door opened to reveal a shock of orange.

“Hey, what are you still standing here? We’re going to be late! Get moving!” Sasuke dodged the playful shove. Avoiding eye contact, he successfully escaped into the bathroom. Leaning against the door and staring down at the  box, there was simply one thought in his mind: Shit…

This hadn’t been how he had wanted to go about this evening.

It would be beyond impolite to not change into the offered clothes, as they clearly had been bought for him and this event… How could he refuse to go now? 

0oOo0oOo0

Rain was the main reason why Sai searched refuge in a local inn after having completed the mission with success. He had hoped to be able to draw some place out, but with this weather, it was not a very attractive option.

He had checked in and was now in his room. It was small, but dry and comfortable. He had heard people move into the adjacent room but pretty soon, the noise eased to nothing. Either they were really quiet, or they had sealed their room. He’d only heard the door a couple of times, but nothing from within it. He looked at the clock. The landlady had said that dinner would be ready at six thirty. Might as well go down.

As it appeared he wasn’t the only one that had come down early. There were already five guests. A three-headed family, quite obviously civilian, was sitting at a large table. The girl talked animatedly with the dad, who lifted her up to play. The other two were sitting on the other side of the room, in a very dark corner. If they talked at all, they were doing it very quietly.

Sai picked a small table from which he had a good view at the family. He felt like capturing the ease and trusting they showed to each other in a drawing, forgetting about any worries of the world for that moment of family time in a random inn. He wasn’t jealous, he simply liked to draw.

When the landlady served him his meal, Sai had already coloured the drawing half way. He ate with practiced silence, keeping an eye on the happenings in the room, as he always did, a ninja habit. He therefore was rather surprised when one of the two other people at the back was suddenly gone. Sai’s attention had been with the family who interacted with the landlady, so sure, there had been time to slip away. Still, it kinda surprised him. The other one was still sitting there, face cast in shadows. However pointedly glaring at Sai when their gazes briefly met. The face seemed ash gray and Sai wondered about the marks on his cheek bones. Though Sai was itching to draw the obscure appearance, he refrained from it, doubting that it would be taken kindly.

Soon the family left for upstairs. The other man got up not even five minutes later. Sai, now alone with the landlady, decided that it was probably best to move upstairs, too. He’d leave early next morning. He moved to the shared bathroom for all guests with his toothbrush in hand and was just about to open the door when he heard heavy breathing behind the door. Not the healthy kind, but the laboured one. He decided to knock. There, a lapse in the breathing pattern, suppressed coughing.

“Everything alright?” Sai asked politely. There was rustle of clothing, as if the other straightened up. The voice that reached him a moment later was hoarse.

“I’m…. just a moment.”

He heard the tap… some splashing and other indecipherable noises, then it stopped and the door slit open. Sai looked into an sickly pale face.

“Gomen nasai.”

The man’s bangs hung into his eyes and he gently held onto the door frame still. Sai knew that face, even though he’d never seen it in real… He’d drawn it before, and just as he’d told the other, their features were quite similar. The man he saw did not match up with the laboured breathing he’d heard before. This one didn’t look sick, and older than the version he’d drawn. The man stared at him irritatedly when Sai scrutinized him and Sai saw distrust slowly creep into the other’s dark eyes. The man then determinedly took a step past Sai.

“Wait!” Sai had to know. The other turned around.

“Should I know you?” The voice was cold.

“Do you have a brother?” The man didn’t react outwardly, but he answered anyway.

“What if I do?” Not even the tone of voice had changed much. If anything, it had gotten colder.

“He tried to draw you, you know?” The other squinted his eyes slightly, then determinedly grabbed Sai, pushing him into a room and Sai let it happen. He had wanted the man’s attention and he seemed to have gotten it. This was the room next to his, the quiet one, Sai thought. The other man from the dining area sat on a chair by the desk, Sai could make out the skin tone as blue now. Actually, he knew he’d seen the face before, too. 

Sai stood awkwardly in the middle of the room. He was circled. The man, previously behind him turned around. Not biding time with any pleasantries he stood tall, gaze dark and smothering. Feeling the glare upon him, Sai couldn’t help but feel like he was about to be interrogated. This might not have been the best of ideas, but Sai valued family, and this man here was obviously missed by his brother in Konoha.

“What do you know about us? About him?” the unnamed brother asked.

“Not much, only that he’s a slave and definitely has had a good swordsmanship teacher. And a good memory if his drawings of you are anything to go by.”

The brother’s reactions were minimal. “Where is he now?”

“Konoha.”

The brother thinned his eyes slightly again. “Why did you tell me? Why do you care?” the hoarse voice prodded.

“We have some things in common, and he’s my friend.”

“Friend? Really? And these things are?”

“A brother, slavery, training, drawing…”

“So you are a slave, too. And a ninja.”

“Yes.”

The brother was still very calm, collected, unbothered to just have Sai’s ninja status confirmed. But the moment didn’t last. Sai hardly saw the movement before a hand closed around his throat. With his other hand, the brother grabbed his chin and forced open his mouth, without doubt looking for the seal on his tongue. He then was abruptly let go of and stumbled back.

“ As I thought. One of Danzo’s...”

This man knew Danzo?

“ ...So that’s where my brother ended up!? What’s Danzo’s message? What does he want? How did he know where to find me?”

“ No. There is no message. Danzo is not his owner, a friend of mine is.”

“ And who would that be?“

Sai hadn't planned on revealing that, but seeing how quickly this conversation had gone south, he saw no way around it. He felt the other's chakra, he felt killing intent, carefully held under wraps, but not hidden completely. It held a sense of warning.

“ Haruno Sakura.“

“ The Hokage's apprentice.“

Another bit of information that shouldn't have been that well known outside of the village. Who was this man? Sai carefully said: “You can go and check up on him, you know where he is now. Danzo has nothing to do with it, I can assure you.“

“ How?“ The man didn’t seem convinced.

“Danzo  knows that Sakura has a slave, but so far he hasn't shown much interest in him. And I doubt he would have had another set of eyes on him, since I'm in her closer social circle.“

“ You do report to him.“ The man accused in a casual voice.

“ I have to tell him some things, but I get away with the bare minimum as long as he doesn't suspect anything.“

“ Hn. That seems awfully convenient for you to say to gain my trust. It's also very untypical for a Root member.“ He said, voice chilly. “Did Danzo grow soft with age? Is he losing control over his forces?“

“ No, he isn’t. I'm playing a dangerous game, I have for a while now, and I know what it can cost me, once he finds out.“  Sai wondered how the brother had known how to recognize a Root member and if he knew what the seal on his tongue meant. He seemed to know about Danzo and his organisation, and he didn’t seem too fond of either.

“ Why would you do it then?“

“ Danzo does not value friends and family.“

“And you do.” The brother concluded correctly. “ How come you work against your master? Danzo is a dangerous man to cross.“ 

“ I changed. My Team changed me...“ The events that had lead up to that were public knowledge among the hidden villages, so Sai supposed it wouldn't hurt to share them: “Naruto befriended Gaara. He made it happen, even though Gaara went berserk first.... And they helped me remember my own brother.”

“ So you’re in Team Seven, together with Hatake Kakashi and the Jinchuuriki of the Nine-Tails.”

He knew that bit about Naruto too?

“ Thank you. This has been enlightening and I’m glad to finally know where my brother is. It would however be best if you forgot we ever met.”

Sai watched as the other’s eyes bled red, and in a moment’s notice, he was sucked in to the world of Tsukuyomi.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'll try to post the next chapter next week :) hope you enjoyed reading this.
> 
> Artwork for this chapter: https://www.deviantart.com/malvalunalynx/art/Trust-Or-Deathwish-721998432


	6. Delving Deeper

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi there, everyone who left Kudos! You motivate me greatly! Thanks!
> 
> Also a thanks to:  
Johan14th for bookmarking and keeping up with reading, i hope I won't disappoint you..  
Sirenwithlegs for the bookmark last chapter.
> 
> And a special thanks to WriterofGotham for both commenting and letting me know about how you perceive this story so far. And I hope you will enjoy the next chapter as well :)

o Delving Deeper o

Shikamaru was sorting through a few things in the Hokage library, searching for something Tsunade had requested. It was monotonous work, and so he let his thoughts wander. He thought back to the discussion he’d had with Tsunade-sama just before he’d gone to Sakura’s to set his plan in motion.

“_ I have reason to believe that Sakura’s slave is an Uchiha. I’d like permission to try to confirm this and maybe work out a deal to keep him out of the interrogation department for now.” _

That's what he'd told her, then further delved into specific aspects of the deal and the benefits of giving Tatakai a chance to prove himself.

The Hokage had been reasonably sceptical, but also curious. No one had heard of any Uchiha after the massacre, their Kekkei Genkai was valuable, to have it in their ranks once more would be beneficial, no question there. Though it would only be worth it if the pledge came from his own free will. Which was currently impossible, especially since the slave apparently was part of a greater scheme of Tsunade to get Sakura back.

Tsunade hadn't explained much on that, only that she wouldn't allow Sakura to free him until his presence had achieved its purpose. Shikamaru suspected that it had to do with Sakura's personal changes after her parents had died and he admitted, she hadn't gotten better even though it had been years. Well,there were pro’s and con’s in being Tsunade’s apprentice, he supposed:

The Hokage’s personal interest in Sakura's well-being let her meddle with Sakura's social life far more than with the average Shinobi, regardless if the gesture was appreciated or not. Though, Shikamaru thought, that might be part of the problem, Sakura was apathetic to any of it. He suspected that work had been her escape, but it had lead her to overwork herself on a regular basis. The repeated collapsing from exhaustion had not helped her case and he could imagine the rest: Tsunade had pulled the brakes and given her a task that she couldn't achieve through simply training and exhausting her chakra. And binding Tatakai to her through slavery made him her responsibility. She could not get around the confrontation…

All in all Shikamaru had to admit that the strategy had a chance to work out. Only that Tsunade probably hadn't counted on the slave being a ninja… especially not of some ex-prestigious clan from Konoha itself. That part made things more complicated indeed.

But they would have to work with what they had and so she had agreed to give this a try. Being teammates might even help her case, as the experiences usually forged closer relationships. The danger of losing someone close in battle might also cause her to distance herself further, though. Especially since she’d experienced that before. It was a difficult position.

He still remembered Tsunade's words as she approved his plan.

„_ ...You will have to report about the progress regularly. I’ll allow you to judge the situation and act accordingly. No one will interfere as long as he does not compromise any of the official rules. I will inform Kakashi of your status as mission leader and have everyone report to you first. That way we will make sure, that all information flows back to you. Also, only inform me if you were wrong and he is no Uchiha. That way you won’t break any promises. You have my blessings to carry out your plan. This is an unranked mission for now. Dismissed.“ _

He hadn't yet been back to report yet, he however had spoken to Kakashi about the new developments after their unplanned meeting at Sakura's. It had lead him to wait for Kakashi as he spoke to the mission clerk about possible D-Ranks. And apparently a small scroll with instructions had already made it down and had been handed to the Jounin before negotiating about anything else. Kakashi requested to report to him after having arranged an assignment for the next day. 

Shikamaru admitted to himself, he was rather distracted from his current task.

Rightnow the Uchiha was on said D-Rank with Kakashi’s team. They had worked out the details of the missions together and he knew, Kakashi was more than capable of handling the supervision of an unknown. Gentle info-gathering was part of their job and while it wasn’t Kakashi’s mission, Shikamaru knew the other would try just as much as he knew he would be careful. He knew he could trust Kakashi for discretion in handling the matter. The report would be on his desk tomorrow, though possibly he’d even join them at the feast and gain a view on how it was going, then, already. It would start in a few hours after all. They’d see how to go from there.

Rightnow, he was busy mulling over Kakashi’s last report. The man’s sweep through Tatakai’s files had certainly been enlightening in several aspects. There had been a chakra restraint in form of a collar for one. One, that Sakura had conveniently taken off without realizing it’s purpose. The Slave seal appeared to have a punishment function which they definitely would need to look into further, as the risk of activating it accidentally throughout a mission and compromise their safety was real and would have to be minimized.

No doubt that Tatakai knew it’s workings. Asking him directly about it would probably not lead anywhere though, he mused. After all, if they knew how it worked, they possibly could control him much more easily than if they were merely guessing. And Tatakai, being the lone warrior he was, would probably not give that up in favour of the group’s or even his own safety. No promises could make him trust them.

And then there was a most interesting fact that Kakashi had gleaned from the documents: Tatakai had not been alone upon capture, the records mentioned a brother.

It was interesting to see what Kakashi had come up with, as far as theories went, even though he had ended up on a false trail. Kakashi was reasonably suspicious and Shikamaru hadn’t said anything to dissuade him. He hadn’t shared his own theories, he hadn’t shared the truth, he was content in waiting and seeing how the situation developed. He was also reasonably curious about the ANBU signs. The key to that probably lay in the identity of Tatakai’s brother, and the Nara already had a couple of ideas how to obtain that information without involving the slave.

The Nara was going through possible aspects and scenarios regarding all matters that involved the slave in question. He didn’t want to wait too long to start working with the Uchiha; To find out what exactly he had been trying to research and how much help to provide. Furthermore he needed to decide on which missions to take him or have him accompany Kakashi.

They needed to evaluate his skill and his loyalties. He was not sworn to their village, they would do better to take on missions that did not primarily feed off that oath. Tatakai was a lone fighter and didn’t seem to have formed any attachment up till now. He would work alright, Shikamaru had seen the excitement and dare-say joy the other had when using chakra. Seeing that he’d been without it for a while, it was understandable. And as long as Sakura was alive and his master, he could not just turn his back on them and run away either. He was bound.

But he really needed to figure out how the subjugation of the slave seal worked. For one, so they could use it to their advantage, but more importantly, so it would not interfere unexpectedly. Again, Shikamaru doubted that Tatakai would give up that information on free will. But these things could be devastating when accidentally activated during a mission. Maybe he could ask Sai to help, once he was back... The Nara doubted that they had the exact same slave seal, considering Sai had been intended to become a ninja… but Sai was also very competent in Fujin-Jutsu, the Sealing-techniques, so he could probably figure it out if he had a good look at it.

In any case though, he should meet up with Tatakai soon, maybe over a game of Shogi. Rightnow he should probably finish up here and get down to the festival site if he wanted to be on time.

00000

Sasuke was in a sour mood, standing aside from their little group, wearing his new clothes… Why did she have to buy them? It only complicated matters for him.

“Hey Teme, let’s check this out!” This had to be the seventh attempt of Naruto to include him, and it had only been half an hour since they arrived.

“Dobe, I’m not interested.” Naruto ignored him.

“Come on, it will be fun and I’m hungry.”

“No!” Sasuke freed his arm from Naruto’s clutches. He was so not up for this. Sakura was discussing something with Kakashi and therefore not keeping Naruto from pestering him. What was it with this guy?

A few minutes later, they ended up going to a Dango stand, which dropped his mood even further.

“Tatakai, how much Dango would you like?”

Sasuke pierced her with his gaze, replying sourly. “None, I hate sweets.”

He didn’t tell her, but the main reason he wanted none wasn’t that he hated sweets, even though that was true. It was the fact, that it reminded him of Itachi, who had dragged him out to eat Dango on a regular basis, even though he knew Sasuke didn’t like it much.

Sakura ended up heeding his request, buying none for him, but pestering him about what else he wanted to eat instead. She ended up buying him Okaka rice balls which he quietly ate.

After that, Naruto took him to check the parcour for the first time. Everything was still in place and they watched some kids as they traveled through it. Really, Sasuke thought it was quite save and friendly… then again Naruto had told him that they wouldn’t directly supervise it, so it wasn’t supposed to be too dangerous. The kids were doing alright and as Sasuke listened to Naruto chattering about the ones he knew, it crossed his mind that Naruto was surprisingly well informed.

00000

A red void everywhere, the colour reminded Sai of fresh blood and he didn’t know what to think of that. The real world had faded as soon as those red swirling eyes had connected to his. The other had disappeared within.

“We are alone” Sai froze, the voice could not be located and he noticed that he couldn’t move anymore. Then, the other suddenly was there, in front of him. “Tsukuyomi is my world, I control it. We are here so we may talk freely. I want to know things and i don’t want Kisame to listen in.” Sai could do nothing but listen, he couldn’t even move his eyelids. “Beware though, if you lie, I will know. Therefore, if your mind is anything worth to you, don’t try me.” The man took a step forward, finally meeting Sai’s eyes with his own red ones. “It won’t end well for you.”

Sai tried nodding and his body obeyed him again. He couldn't help but feel uneasy.

„I happen to know that the Hokage monitors your team and its members very closely. That includes Haruno Sakura, and it’s the only reason I'm giving you a chance. How did you find me?

„I know you won't believe me, but it was a chance meeting. The only reason I turned in at this inn is because it's rainy and I'm returning from a mission, that was all the intention I had.“

„Why did you talk to me. If Danzo wasn't the reason, which I still have a hard time to believe, then what was your motivation?“

„I didn't expect you to know about Danzo and suspect me acting on his order. Had I known, I might have approached you differently, but that doesn't matter. I did it because I thought you should know where your brother is. He misses you and he, in his position, can't go to search for you. But you do.“

The man seemed to be listening closely, but he didn't respond to what Sai said. Instead he asked more questions:

“How did you meet my brother?” Sai wasn't surprised at that question, he had expected more questions about said brother and was glad that this was nothing confidential. He didn't want to know how the other would react if he was forced to refuse an answer.

“He was drawing you at the Hokage monument.” Sai carefully regarded the other, who asked the next question without missing a beat, face unreadable.

“Tell me about him. How is he now?”

“When I first met him, he looked like he was recovering from slight starvation, he was very determined to get his strength back and he doesn’t talk much.”

Did this man truly care for his brother? Sai wished that the other would show more reaction. He couldn't get a read on the man and had no time to come up with a plan to get him to show more than this cold expression, either. And somehow Sai knew that off-topic comments, the strategy he usually used, wouldn't be taken kindly.

„How did he end up in Konoha?“

“Ugly bought him. He is taken care of and even allowed to train.” It ran through Sai’s head briefly, that he didn’t know of the others intentions towards his brother, but the conversation’s quick pace did not let him dwell on it..

„Why the nickname now?“

„I read a book about friendship, that mentioned the use of nicknames as an act of camaradize. I decided to try it out.“

„How do you call my brother?“

„Wannabe. He goes by Tatakai, though.“

„Your nickname choices are questionable, but that aside. What did your friend buy him for?”

“Honestly, I don’t know.” And it was the truth. Sai didn't know. He wasn't sure if he would have dislodged this information, had he had it, though. It bordered on personal information, and surely the other didn't expect Sai to be willing to spill Sakura's every secret? He was already worried that he was endangering Sakura with giving out her name, though it would be simple enough to trail Tatakai to see where he lived and find this out from there… Then again, he knew that if he blatantly refused to share something he knew about, the other might get overly interested in it and try to find out by other means.

He seemed needn't have worried, the other changed topics himself:

„What does he do now? What are his duties?“

“As far as I know? He trains a lot in his freetime, but I think Ugly mainly has him do housework, which is kind of silly if I think about it.”

“How so?” Itachi asked.

“Oh, it’s just, the apartment is small and not a lot to take care of, and Ugly always managed to keep it at a tidy level before.”

“I see. And she lets him train... are you sure it’s not on orders?”

“Pretty sure, I can see no reasons as to why Ugly would order something like that, plus I got the feeling that she didn’t know he was a ninja at first.”

„Hmm.“ The other said thoughtfully, saying no more for the moment.

Sai still wasn't sure where to place this brother. He seemed interested enough in his brother's life, but Sai still couldn't get a read on him. Sai contemplated if he should ask some things himself before the other continued their conversation. He really should use the chance of this moment to get some answers himself. Sai decided to smile.

“Hey Aniki?”

The other’s eyes narrowed. “I’m not your brother, and not your boss either… quit that fake smiling of yours.”

“You haven’t given me a name, not that it matters. You’re Wannabe’s brother, so Aniki it is until I get a real name.” Sai had dropped the smile, and was regarding the man with calculating eyes, waiting for any reaction to go by. But really, dealing with people, especially when emotions were involved, still wasn’t one of his strong points. The other barely reacted, apparently deciding to let the name-calling slide.

“Your question?” the red-eyed man’s voice was cold, but it seemed that he'd at least hear him out.

“Do you miss your brother? Did you search for him?”

“Yes I do, and yes I did search when I could. How about you? You mentioned a brother...”

Sai stared at the other, this man was quick to divert the subject away from him. He wondered about the reasons for that. Was it to distract him from the man? Or was this some underhanded strategy to see if he could be trusted? He wasn’t going to lie, nor was he going to tell a sob story, just the plain truth:

“My brother is dead.”

The other didn’t look surprised.

“Did Danzo make you kill him?” The red eyes were staring at him calculating as he uncaringly prodded for personal matters.

“He tried, but Shin died before that.”

“The effect was the same though, wasn’t it?...”

00000

Team Seven had met up with some others of their academy generation and their respective Sensei’, so the group was considerably larger when Naruto returned with Tatakai in tow. Observing his brooding companion, it ran through Naruto’s head that upon seeing the amount of people, the other seemed even more pissed.

They had been spotted and Ino was coming over: “Hey Naruto, Tatakai! It’s been a while. Sorry about last time, I’ll keep myself in check now.”

Sasuke stood there, hands crossed inside his traditional sleeves, staring at her impassively. 

“So have you settled in?”

He didn’t answer.

“Oh come on Ino, he’s obviously not interested in talking to you, just leave him be.” Naruto butted in. Ino just sent him a dirty glare.

“Hey Naruto” Kakashi called out just then and Naruto went over, leaving Sasuke alone with her.

“So how do you like Konoha so far?” Sasuke detached himself from the wall he’d leaned on and started walking towards where Naruto had gone.

“... how about this: you Kakashi go up and try it.” Sakura’s voice was mocking. Naruto agreed laughing. Sasuke stood next to them, not really caring that he hadn’t heard what they were talking about. He just wanted to be left alone.

His luck ran out again just a few short minutes later when Shikamaru tapped him on the shoulder.

“Good evening Tatakai... Sakura, I’d like to meet up with Tatakai tomorrow, when can you spare him?” Shikamaru then addressed Sakura. She turned to them.

“Oh, we have clean up duty here tomorrow morning, and our team will train in the afternoon, so maybe somewhere around noon sometimes, or in the evening? Really, it doesn’t matter to me… why don’t you discuss it with Tatakai himself? I don’t know what he had planned.”

“Alright, so Tatakai, how about eleven a.m. at my house over a play of Shogi?”

“Whatever.” Sasuke stared at him with dark eyes. Shikamaru smiled tiredly.

“Great then, see you tomorrow, don’t be late.” Shikamaru went over to Ino and Choji.

Sasuke only listened, keeping an eye on the group, especially Kakashi, with whom he’d spent the least time yet. Currently the man in question was talking to Asuma, who had been introduced as Shikamaru’s Sensei. He was quite focussed on their conversation, so he was semi-startled by Naruto’s calling out.

“Ugh, shit, time flies. Tatakai, we gotta go… The fireworks are supposed to be in a few minutes.”

00000

“The effect was the same though, wasn’t it?...”

Itachi knew that it had been cruel to state this, but he did want to see if the other showed reactions to a subject he'd presented as 'dear' to him. Sai didn't seem fazed, just as Itachi would expect from a Root member, though when one was looking for it, one could see more: It was minimal, but the eyes did cloud over in sadness for a moment. Then Sai's lips hesitantly twitched into a gentle smile.

„Shin allowed me the easy way out. He admitted that he was going to die either way, he was chronically ill, but I didn't have to make the killing blow.“ He fell quiet.

Itachi held his gaze steadily trailed on the Root member before him. Kisame couldn’t hear them now and he did want to know more. Sai was tipping his head ever so slightly within the illusion. Were Sai’s intentions as pure as they seemed, or was there an underhanded reason he’d reached out after all?

„I still wonder about your genuinity. It’s risky to approach an unknown, especially someone likely to be a ninja. It’s especially unwise to seek out an unknown ninja alone. Even if my brother is your friend, how can it be worth the risk for you to tell me, and personally, too!? Your appearance seems more like a warning of Danzo wanting to control me through my brother.“

Sai was quiet for a moment, contemplating on how he could explain this before he spoke. He’d hardly ever put personal intentions into words, it was kind of hard to make sense of, but eventually he boiled it down to this:

“Aniki, your brother misses you! You two still have a chance to be together. I don’t. My brother is gone.”

The boy smiled again. It seemed his way to cope when he was unsure of how to react, Itachi could not detect any signs that the other was acting, it was too weird an expression to support an act to hide something, and the other didn't seem to be aware of it either.

“So you don't want to see that happen again if you can help it.”

Sai only nodded.

“What if I don’t want to meet my little brother?”

And there it was, the thing Sai had worried about: Was he a friend to Sai because of his connection to his brother, or was he an enemy despite? Was he even well meaning towards his own brother? This man hadn't truly dislodged any info about his own loyalties. The red eyes seemed to see right through him.

“Then I at least tried.”

Itachi took in the answer with mild satisfaction, the other had seemed honest up till now and the pieces of information all fit together pretty well. Another sign that he had spoken the truth. It was kind of moving, the boy seemed to try to give him a chance to do something he no longer could. He was trying to give him a chance to reconnect... Itachi wished he could. Too sad things were as they were.

Itachi decided to be honest:

“The relationship between my brother and I is very strained. I’ve done some things to protect him and he hates me for what I’ve done. It’s understandable that he would, too. He didn’t know there was a threat in the first place, and I have my reasons for never telling him, so please don’t mention this to him. Furthermore, I have failed him the past three years and I’m not sure where we stand today. Do you really think he wants me back in his life?” The voice was factual, not desperate. He wanted to know how this boy thought he could go make a difference, and it was a question he honestly wondered about.

“Yes, I truly think he does. He was trying to draw you on the Hokage monument. He asked me if I had seen you, once I tried to show him how to improve his drawing. He even asked for the portrait I drew.”

„And if my presence in his life brings him more turmoil than peace? Do you still think I should put myself back into his life?“

„Why don't you give him a chance to decide this by himself?“

Itachi's lips twitched… if it only was so simple… But it was interesting to see the nearly emotionless Root member show a glimpse of honest passion. Itachi knew that he had forced the boy to reveal more than he'd been comfortable with to make his story believable. Itachi still wasn't sure if he could believe it in its entirety, but he'd definitely verify his brother's owner. If it really was Haruno Sakura, the Hokage's apprentice, then it was likely that Danzo didn't have a hand in it. And it would be harder for him to get to Sasuke if the Hokage had an eye on him.

Itachi had avoided a straight out interrogation, he'd focused on how the boy would respond to suggestions, he did ask questions, sometimes moral questions, but he had tried not to corner the boy. It had already proven to be fruitful.

“What’s the name you go by?”

“Sai” The boy’s voice was calm, he was just stating a fact.

“So Sai, you’re the one assigned by Danzo, to guard Naruto, the Jinchuuriki of the Nine-Tails, right? Knowing Danzo, I assume there is a standing order to eliminate him, should he ever become a threat to the village?!” Itachi carefully regarded the other’s reactions, knowing the other would not answer verbally. The signs that he had hit the mark, they were minimal, but there. It was sad to have it confirmed. He dug deeper:

“Would you do it? Would you turn against Naruto if he turned into a threat? Would you turn against your friend?” Itachi cocked his head ever so slightly, still piercing the other with his Sharingan.

“I don’t know if I could.” He sounded genuine. Itachi was testing the boys intentions further, how he'd deal with loyalty in different situations, with different people. Once he had enough answers, he'd decide if he'd go through with the plan he'd been formulating in his mind.

“Are you loyal to Konoha?”

“Yes!”

“Are you loyal to Danzo?”

“He is my master, I have to be.”

“Are you loyal to your friends?”

“Hai!”

“Will you be loyal to my brother?”

“I will be, as long as he doesn’t turn against us.”

“How far would you go to ensure he wouldn’t turn against you?” Sai squinted his eyes a bit at that, trying to figure out what Itachi meant and how to answer most appropriately. Itachi clarified:

“Would you kill him? Would you manipulate him? Would you turn him in?”

“It would depend on what I think I could do.”

“Good” Itachi could live with that for now. He moved on: “What do you know of the Uchiha Massacre?”

Sai seemed unfazed by the sudden change of subject. He took a moment to answer: “Cause unknown, it is assumed to have been an internal quarrel. There were no survivors.”

Sai stared at him, searching for clues Itachi knew he wouldn’t find. But he wouldn’t need them anyway, Itachi would share what he wanted him to know verbally, he’d make himself clear well enough and it was time to do so now.

“There is something my little brother should never find out... I’ll tell you: His family was killed on orders. Do you know what I mean?...” 

He quizzically watched Sai before continuing.

“Yes, we are Uchiha... I killed everyone except my little brother...”

Sai hid it well, but Itachi was sure he was clicking puzzle pieces together now… good.

“I used to work for Danzo and that meant working together with Root. The order concerning the massacre was not sanctioned by the Hokage and came from Danzo himself. I, therefore, acted as a Root-member that day. The mission was top secret and I won’t dislodge the reasons behind it as they don’t concern you, but I told you what I did for a reason:” 

Sai didn’t betray any emotion, he had dropped his smile indefinitely a while ago, and had been listening closely. Itachi approved.

“As you well know, Root is an organisation that carries out missions that are morally questionable. More often than not, they are kept secret or covered up for the public eye. If the truth of the Uchiha massacre came out to the public, it wouldn’t look good on Konoha’s records. My brother will start digging if given the chance. And if word got out that there were survivors, others might, too.” Sai’s eyes had widened a tiny bit, just enough to show that he indeed realized what that meant.

“My brother knows that I killed the clan and he hates me for it. I let him believe that I simply snapped that day and that there was nothing more to it. I’m afraid he’s suspicious of me though.”

“You want me to keep him from finding out anything…” Sai said, voice hoarse.

“Yes, I told you so you know what to watch out for… I destroyed a lot of evidence, but if someone knows what to look for, they still might piece some of it together. I’d appreciate if you could lead my little brother astray should he come too close to the truth.” Sai quietly nodded in agreement.

“I’d also like you to deliver a message to my little brother. Think of this as a way to keep him busy from digging. Tell him I said this: He should make it his mission to protect Naruto. Tell him to protect Naruto from _ me _!”

Sai had obviously not expected this, his reply was reluctant, unsure. “... yes.”

“There is one more message I’d like you to deliver. This one for Danzo: code-name Weasel, ANBU. If you as much as touch my brother, I will pass on classified Village intel to every enemy nation.” Itachi held Sai’s gaze captured, making sure he’d remember. He said nothing more.

“I’ll do what you asked me to.” Sai finally said and Itachi nodded.

“Good… I’ll knock you out and return you to your room, it will keep Kisame’s suspicions at bay. You won’t see us again tomorrow… Alright then, Is there any trap that I should be aware of, while bringing you back to your quarters?”

Sai shook his head and in a moments notice, the world ceased to exist and Sai lost all senses.

00000

Sasuke stared after the last of the Hanabi, the firework which Naruto had just released. It had been the fanciest. No doubt that was the reason Naruto had saved it for last. Suppressing a sigh, he sat down, enjoying the cool nights breeze. For once the blonde was quiet and Sasuke was glad for it. When Naruto later suggested they patrol the parcours once more before meeting up with the others, he wordlessly got up and followed.

Their group stayed at the festival until most activity had died down at one in the morning. There were no children around to take the parcours anymore, therefore Naruto took Sasuke for a patrol one last time and they parted ways after that. But not before deciding to meet up at seven a.m. the next morning to disable and dismantle the parcour then. 

The walk home with Sakura was quiet for the most part. Sasuke didn’t initiate conversation, and Sakura didn’t either. At least not until they had reached the doorstep of her apartment.

“Thank you for coming along today, I know you didn’t want to, so thank you for going anyway.”

Sakura saw him smirk, it wasn’t a happy thing, more like a bitter amusement, which just cemented her impression of his unwillingness.

“Well then, Oyasumi, sleep well.”

“Hn” She had opened the door and let herself in, disappearing in her room just a moment later. They briefly crossed ways again in the bathroom, just as Sasuke was finishing up there. She had already changed out of the traditional robes and was in her pajamas, he went to his rooms to change as well. Carefully folding the pieces of clothing, he put them away, laying down in bed afterwards.

The festival indeed had brought up many memories. Especially of the times he’d gone with Itachi. He turned to the nightstand to grab his sketchbook, flipping it open to reveal Sai’s drawing.

He might finally have a chance to start looking for his brother. Finally a chance to research what might have set his brother off that day. He wasn’t sure what to think of Shikamaru yet. The guy was intelligent, very much so, he must also have also have more resources and seemed willing to keep quiet about his identity. At least for now. However Sasuke felt forced with sharing and it wasn’t like he’d ever asked for help either, it had been thrust upon him. He had the strong suspicion that the other wanted to find out about him that way and he didn’t like that thought at all.

It crossed his mind that he should probably start thinking of what information to give the other, and which to hold back, if he should reveal anything at all.... Did he need to mention that there was only one murderer? That would tell Shikamaru to beware of Itachi’s strength. Would that keep them off Itachi’s back or would it strengthen their focus on possibly eliminating the _ threat _? Should he tell him it was his brother whom he was looking for? Or should he present him as merely the killer of his clan without any relations to him? 

How much of his past would he need to share to get results? He honestly hated these thoughts. He’d never talked about all this with anyone… Did he even want to dig all that up? He wasn’t sure...

00000

The morning came by swiftly and Sasuke was running late in making breakfast. They ate in silence, hurrying the eating, then quickly exited the apartment.

Naruto was already waiting, Kakashi was nowhere in sight. Sasuke was still tired and quite grumpy, he therefore was quick to raise for the bait when Naruto challenged him to a Taijutsu battle. Kakashi ended up standing next to Sakura, who was watching the two, some time later.

“They seem to understand each other well enough.” He quietly commented. Sakura agreed in an equally quiet manner and they watched them a little while longer. It was really astonishing how much Naruto had improved since getting under the tutelage of both Kakashi and Jiraiya. It had been a good thing that Naruto had never been easy to kill, even when they had started out. The Academy had not taught him well. They had to break up a lot of bad habits. Kakashi cut off his thought process and called out to them.

“Alright you two, let’s go.”

00000

Naruto assigned everyone little jobs and soon they were taking the parcours apart. They were working in teams of two again, but as he and Sasuke both knew the key points since having been the ones to build the parcours in the first place, he split up differently. It was how Sasuke and Sakura ended up working together and she couldn’t help but notice the difference of atmosphere with him. While he still acted the same for the most part, he seemed to be in a slightly better mood today. She wondered why. Maybe she should just ask him…

She’d been holding back the questioning, trying to make him feel more comfortable. Then again, she hadn’t wanted to get too involved with him. Yes, she’d bought him, but she’d done so on orders. Orders she still didn’t understand, and she didn’t want to take things out on him. He should be allowed some freedom, and she, as his “master”, wasn’t suitable for a friendship. Of course she was curious, but she knew him well enough by now to know that he wouldn’t appreciate digging around. So she’d kept him at a distance, occasionally trying conversation, but leaving it be when he didn’t participate. They had fallen into a comfortable routine and she felt compelled to change it up, especially if just to satisfy her own curiosity.

She must have spaced off, because Tatakai was regarding her with a critical gaze. She smiled apologetically before resuming her activity. He hardly spoke, and if he did, it was only instructions. He had adapted to being in charge surprisingly easy. Especially considering she was officially his master. She kept her thoughts to herself though and when they were finally done, it was already ten o’clock.

And so Sasuke found himself in front of the mission desk just a few minutes later. Sakura and the other two were standing beside him as Kakashi reported their mission as finished to the mission clerk. The clerk handed them their money which Kakashi split up immediately. Sasuke, just waiting for the others to finish up, was already thinking about the upcoming talk with Shikamaru.

“Tatakai?... Here!” He looked up to stare at Sakura’s hand, which was holding out money to him. He had not expected that. Counting it with his eyes, he took it hesitatingly and not knowing what else to do with it, he pocketed it just a moment later.

“I know it’s not a whole lot, but this was just a D-Rank, those don’t have that great of a paycheck.” 

He just nodded, not knowing what to say.

“Alright let’s go. And Tatakai, don’t forget your meeting with Shikamaru.”

00000

Itachi stared down at the crumbled person in front of him just for a moment before he closed his eyes in an attempt to minimize the pain. He felt slightly dizzy.

“So, what was that supposed to be?” Kisame scrutinized Itachi, then returned his attention to the man on the ground. “I thought you were only going to use these eyes in an emergency, was erasing his memory really necessary?!” He prodded Sai with his foot, then looked up again to check up on Itachi.

“You overdid it again.”

Itachi didn’t reply, only held onto the wall in an attempt to keep more steady. The worst would pass soon and there was no enemy to keep up appearances for, even though he could if needed.

“Why don’t you sit down. Just tell me what you’ve planned for this guy here.”

Itachi complied, stumbling over to the bed. “Just bring him to his room, he’ll be asleep for a while. He’s in the room next to us. Also, we will leave early tomorrow.”

Kisame sighed, then picked up the figure on the ground and left the room.

00000

Sasuke was waiting for Shikamaru to open his door rather impatiently. He’d contemplated options and possible ways to go about the pending discussion on the whole way here, but he hadn’t gotten any farther than when he had started out. He of course knew what he wanted. He wanted to find his brother first and foremost. Plus he wanted to find out what had driven his otherwise gentle brother to do what he’d done. If there had been a cause to his madness…. and while Sasuke hated to admit, he’d been stuck. Looking at it now, it might not be so bad to have a second set of eyes working with him. And Shikamaru was intelligent. As long as there was no reason for him to believe that he’d go against Konoha, Sasuke knew his secret would be safe. Still, he did not like the way he was forced to accept help.

The door had opened and a tired looking Shikamaru was inviting him inside. Sasuke already knew the way and just a short while later they both sat at the Shogi table, a cup of tea on the side. Honestly, Sasuke had no idea what to say. It was good that Shikamaru hadn’t expected him to start.

“So, how was the mission yesterday?” The question earned Shikamaru a sharp gaze, the unwillingness to unreel that story rightnow was obvious. It was a good thing that the Nara was lazy and therefore didn’t particularly care that Sasuke hadn’t really answered. He simply set up the game, letting his guest make the first move.

“So, I thought of starting up my part of the deal. Have you thought about how I could help you?” Shikamaru found Sasuke locking eyes with him, the stare as burning as ever. Then his eyes flashed. Now that Shikamaru knew about the danger of it, he reflexively tried to turn away at the first hint of red.

“Face me!” Tatakai’s voice was calm, but had a dark tint to it, a testing quality. Shikamaru’s thoughts turned high speed as he went through different scenarios this could end with. Tatakai had nothing to gain with using the Sharingan right now. The others knew where he was and if the Nara was killed or harmed in any way Sakura would know who was responsible. He rose his gaze, meeting the Sharingan unflinchingly. The other smirked.

‘Good’

Tatakai’s gaze flickered over the Shogi board, considering his next move carefully before carrying it out. Shikamaru countered with a practiced laziness, moving his attention back to Tatakai, who was meeting his gaze. The eyes were back to inky black, though Shikamaru saw them swirl right then, the red colour vanishing just as quickly as it had appeared.

‘I don’t want to involve anyone.’ The words had been carefully chosen and weren’t followed with another statement. Shikamaru wondered how exactly this mind-invading thought transfer worked, he had a hunch that the other used the Sharingan for it.

“If you’re not giving me information, how are you expecting me to help? Would you like to discuss mission handling instead?”

Tatakai was clearly unwilling on both subjects. Probably unsure, though not directly scared.

“Look, I won’t just do something without your consent, I’ll leave it up to you how to handle what is your business, as long as it doesn’t breach Village security. If you want my help then you have to give me something to work with, though.”

“I never asked for your help!” Tatakai’s spoken words were sharp.

“No, but you simply don’t have the same resources I have.” He needn’t to point out more, Sasuke was quite aware of that fact himself.

“And how are you going to define if it is a village security matter? Officially, I’m considered dead. You already judge me as a possible threat to keep an eye on. If I tell you anything suspicious at all, especially if it is out of your immediate sight, what will you do?”

“I will do nothing, you have been a slave for three years, right? Kakashi told me a bit about your files. Yes, he looked through them. You have been cut off and out of the loop for long enough that, while your information may be interesting, it is most likely not relevant for the village’s safety anymore. And I already know you about your brother’s existence.” Sasuke’s gaze narrowed sharply.

“It was mentioned in your files.” Shikamaru waited for the other to respond, Tatakai, having gotten over the shock of him knowing that quickly enough, seemed to contemplate something. In no hurry, the lazy ninja leaned back.

“Fine…” Tatakai paused, then met his gaze again, icy determination in his eyes. “If you want to help me, then get me the Uchiha Clan files. I want to read them.”

“I’m afraid I can’t do that. All ninja files are classified. Deceased or not.”

“Too bad. Then you’re no use to me...” Shikamaru knew that the others brash words were both, to either challenge him to do so anyway, or to get him to leave the matter alone if he didn’t bring what he asked for. It was unlikely to get any decent answers out of him right now, that didn’t keep Shikamaru from trying though, and he already knew how:

“Why do you want to read them? they won’t bring your family back.”

“Hn…” 

“Don’t you want to find your brother? Or is he dead?” For the first time, he saw Tatakai look away, his eyes darting over the Shogi board, distracting himself by the game.

“I don’t know.” The honesty was followed by a short silence.

“You don’t know if you want to find him? Or you don’t know if he’s dead or alive?”

00000

Back in her apartment, Sakura was reading through her journals. The quietness of her home was somewhat pressing, but also finally allowing her thoughts to wander. She was having too much time at hand, and still had no idea as to why Tatakai would be her key in being allowed to work in the hospital again. Was he supposed to make sure she ate and slept on a regular basis? Admitted, his presence helped to not forget, nor ignore those necessary parts of life. And it was kind of nice to return and have a home cooked meal ready. Then again, it reminded her too much…

He was healthy now, at least from a medical point of view. And he’d opened up quite a bit after that talk with Shikamaru. Well, at least to the point of responding verbally.

It was weird, her home felt empty right now, more empty than it had before he’d arrived. There were no indicators around that told of him living here. He didn’t leave anything laying around, not that she minded his orderliness. Was she already starting to miss his presence?

He was only over at Shikamaru’s, he wasn’t gone. She shouldn’t be feeling this way, this was no good. And she had been so careful to not get closer to him. Slavery bound him enough already. She didn’t want to become the one binding him. This couldn’t be what Tsunade had intended, was it? It was dangerous to have a person become your safe haven. And anyway, he turned out to be a ninja,and would now be working together with them. He would be out in the field, out in danger. He seemed capable, but she still knew next to nothing about him.

And Tsunade had already decided to include him. She couldn’t keep him from the field. How did this even work? There was no oath, no agreement from him to risk his life for them or their cause.

She looked down at the journal page, not really reading it. He had seemed to enjoy the exercise, the use of chakra. Would he turn out to be one of those ninja who enjoyed killing? He seemed to like battle well enough.

What would she do if he got injured, killed? He was her charge, as stupid as it sounded. Weren’t masters supposed to also protect their slaves? Shouldn’t that be payment for their work? 

She was a medic-nin, while it wasn’t unavoidable to be in battle, she was supposed to be in the back, to heal her teammates, should they need it. She wasn’t supposed to jump in mindlessly to shield him. Should she try to teach him medical Ninjutsu, so he could possibly heal himself? Would he have the discipline and control to learn it? Would he even want to?

Sai’s master wasn’t really the prime example in how to act as owner. He had provided Sai with a good education to survive, but the price had been high. Too high. Mentally, Sai was scarred for life. Then again, so was she… Their profession was not a forgiving one. Only had she chosen this once upon a time. Sai had been raised into it as well. But Tatakai? Who knew his background, except he himself? 

How had they ended up here? Would she have to steel herself once more, to not be caught unprepared? 

She really needed to know if he could take care of himself! And she needed to know more about him, not for her own curiosity anymore, but for his safety.

This was not what she’d wanted. Right now she’d rather not know anything about him at all. This could only become harder and she wasn’t feeling up to it anymore.

00000

The first thing coming to his mind upon drifting into consciousness was, that there shouldn’t be light seeping through his eyelids. Sai slowly lifted his head, registering that he was back in his room at the inn. Then upon looking outside, he realized that it must be somewhen later in the morning, for the sun was already far high up in the sky. Later than he had planned to leave originally. This made him quickly roll out of bed to pack, thinking of his encounter with Wannabe’s brother.

He had certainly not expected this outcome; The fact that they were Uchiha; That there were still some left that had managed to stay hidden, in exile. He hadn’t expected to hear the right-out truth about the massacre. The other would not have lied, he was too familiar with Danzo's schemes. The drastic measure of the whole incident, and unthinkable horridness of it, fit entirely too well. 

Sighing, he went down the stairs after closing the door of his room, leaving everything neatly in place. He had felt for chakra and sound in the next room. The invisible barrier was down, _ ‘they’ _ were gone.

He checked out quickly, getting back on track towards Konoha. He had no motivation to linger anywhere to draw anymore. There were more pressing matters to attend to, now. Traveling at a higher speed than before, he quietly mulled over the conversation he’d had with _ code-name: Weasel, ANBU _. Time seemed to pass more quickly, but brought no new insights. He’d deliver the messages, there was no reason not to.

00000

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Well, here it is. Let me know what you think, positive or negative, constructive critizism is always welcome.
> 
> Next update? I'm not entirely sure if I can get the next chapter out to you next week, (ain't at home), but should definitely manage sometimes the week after the next.


	7. Reactions

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Special thanks to WriterOfGotham and Rere(Guest) for leaving reviews and discussing the story with me. It means a lot to me!

“You don’t know if you want to find him? Or you don’t know if he’s dead or alive?” Shikamaru prodded calmly. He had a strategy, and it involved seeing if the other was interested in his brother.

“It’s none of your business.” Sasuke bit out.

“You know, I could try to find out to whom he was sold off and what happened with him. Wouldn’t that be better than not knowing at all?”

“Why are you focusing on my brother? I did not ask for him, I asked for the Uchiha files.”

“I focus on him because he probably is the only other living person mentioned in those files you want. What is in those files will change nothing, knowing what happened to your brother might.”

“By all means: Try! I doubt you’ll get far.” Sasuke taunted. He didn’t want the other to go searching, but to be honest, he longed for the answer. The other had recourses and freedom he didn’t, the other might succeed, whereas he didn’t even have a chance to begin with.

“And why’s that?”

“Because if he changed masters at any point, you might have to find every single one to track him down. The slave houses do not have a central archive, and the papers go with the slave. Some houses may be organized enough so you can look up the slave code, but it’s not a given. Some simply sort transaction dates. You’d have to either know the date, or a certain time range for them to look it up, without it you’re gonna be lost. That’s how these things work as far as I know. The papers go with the slave. If the change of masters happened outside of a slave house, there might only be a paper in his records, but none at any place for you to search for. And that is if he still is a slave. If he isn’t… well, in that case, you won’t find him at all.”

“I see, I’ll keep that in mind.” The other had given out plenty of information, even though he’d presented them in a way that made it clear that he seriously doubted him to succeed and was mocking the idea. Shikamaru found it informative enough and it would help him to get started.

“Do you know his slave code? Or should I go back to Sakura’s to look it up?”

Tatakai narrowed his eyes slightly in thought.

“I only know mine, I never got a chance to read through my papers to read his. And I have no idea how the coding works...” Yes, Shikamaru thought, the other was more willing to give him answers than he’d wanted to admit in the beginning.

“Tell me yours.” 

“OSA0742” He said it like an unpleasant fact to be brushed aside, nothing to identify himself with.

“Hmm, the letters could stand for the place that registered you. The numbers probably represent the slaves themselves. Do you remember where you’ve been brought to?”

“Slave House Kansei, Ishigakure. I have found no relation between the letter coding and that place’s name… But if your theory is right, then my brother’s code would probably be OSA0743.”

Indeed, Shikamaru’s impression, that the other was interested in this was only cementing more so. The Uchiha let more information slip than ever, and willingly so. Even though the info could be looked up and he would be doing that later. It had still come from him. The fact that Tatakai had chosen a higher number, was also a little detail that he found worth considering. It suggested that the brother might have been captured after Tatakai. Though he couldn’t be sure, it was a possibility.

“I’ll go to Sakura and check your papers, and I’ll tell you if you were right, afterwards. If you want to get a look into your papers yourself, you probably just have to ask her. I doubt she’d mind… Now to further business, I really did want to know about the mission.”

“Ask Kakashi” Tatakai said coldly.

“I thought I’d give you a chance, but I will do that, then. Also, there are some things I wanted to ask you, concerning future missions.” 

Tatakai’s gaze turned into a glare.

“Your slave seal… I know this is information you probably don’t want to share, but it’s going to be important if you’re accompanying us on higher ranking missions. As in ‘more dangerous’ ones. I need to know if it could interfere with the missions, or your condition at any point.”

00000

Tatakai contemplated, considered telling him, though unwillingly so. He knew Shikamaru hadn’t asked this to possibly gain leverage, to glean information that he could be controlled with. But that didn’t change the fact, that it could be used that way if he revealed the slave seals secrets. It was something he wasn’t willing to risk. No slave was.

“It might” Sasuke’s voice was icy.

“I see, you’re not willing to share that yet. Please consider it though. If it interferes within a fight, things could get ugly.”

Sasuke said nothing, only responding to Shikamaru’s latest Shogi move by countering it with one of his own. He’d been distracted, not focussing on the game before him. He could see he’d already made some poor decisions and the game probably wouldn’t last much longer. But while it irked him that he’d lose again, he didn’t mind the reason to depart.

They continued in silence until the game was over. Somehow both had understood that the conversation was done. Shikamaru came to the door to see him off, thanking him for the game and his time… as if he had had much of a choice.

Annoyed he kicked a stone in front of him on his way home.

00000

Tsunade sat in front of her desk. She had just skimmed through a book that covered manipulation-seals. Specifically she had looked through the section on slave seals. Shikamaru had not come back yet, so she had felt it safe to assume that the slave indeed was an Uchiha. Considering his heritage, the respective powers and lack of knowledge about him, she had felt the need to take preventive action, especially now that he was about to go on missions.

They didn’t know how much Tatakai knew about the seal and its workings. She was pretty sure that he knew more about the punishment functions than the book described. The book was rather vague about that and what the intentions upon creations were, which was unsurprising, considering that this was an ancient sealing ritual and the creator was unknown.

The part she was worried about him knowing was, that the seal would cease to exist if Sakura died. He might not be able to right out kill her, the book was clear about that, but the seal did not force him to protect her at all costs and that meant that he could possibly maneuver her into a situation where she could get killed and let it happen.

That was one side, the other was, that even though he didn’t grow up here and wasn’t even sworn in, he’d go on missions. He was bound to find out about state secrets, some about how this village operated. They didn’t know about his abilities, about possible connections outside. If he found reason to turn against Konoha and Sakura died, there would be no controlling him. So if she could make it more difficult, make it safer for the village, she’d do it.

There was also the fact that he, being an Uchiha, made it their business on a state level. She preferred to know what she was at and if he gave them reason, she wasn’t above interrogating and incarcerating him. But they had enough ways to keep him busy and keeping him from digging up the Uchiha’s secrets, so she was fine with letting him be as long as he didn’t push any official rules. Keeping him enslaved for now would ensure him to be somewhat compliant in any scenario.

There was the knock she’d waited for. Sakura’s form slipped inside.

“Tsunade-sama, you called for me?”

“Yes I did. I did some research on slave seals… I know you want to let him go, but considering the recent developments with having him participate in missions I want to create a safety-net. I’ll explain what I’d like to do first:”

Tsunade sighed. She wouldn’t explain the safety-net itself, nor the true extent of its purpose. She’d just skip that part, instead opting for Sakura to work out her own interpretation without correcting or misleading her.

“Slave seals work as a connection between the master and the slave, the master being in charge. Now if one of them dies, the seal of the one remaining alive will disappear and lose its effect since the connection sustaining it would have been broken. However, there is a way to bequeath the seal in case the master die. I’m not expecting you to die, but just in case anything happens, I’d like us to perform this. It won’t take away the rights, only pass them on in case of death. If we decide to free him before, it will lose its effect, you don't need to worry about that.”

Tsunade observed Sakura to make sure she followed.

“If you die first though, the slave seal would stay on him, since it would continue to work off my chakra, though I’d still have to get the master counterpart of the slave seal to take charge. No one else could though, since he is already marked and connected to me. Here: This is the process for bequeathing.” She pointed towards the respective passage in her book and gave it to Sakura to read.

It described a sequence of hand signs and which blood would be required when.

“You want to do this now, right?” Sakura asked.

“Yes, that was the idea.” Sakura didn’t look too happy about it, but she focussed on memorizing the hand signs even so.

“Alright, I got it.” She spoke finally. Tsunade prepared two needles for pricking their fingers, then Sakura moved her fingers into the sequence of signs, pressing two fingers on her invisible seal afterwards. It appeared with a slight glow. 

She then pricked Tsunade’s thumb, pressed it upon the seal, until it had soaked in a drop of blood. Releasing the Hokage’s hand, she took her own, pricking her thumb with the other needle, then moving it to her neck, sealing her decision with her own blood. The glow slowly diminished after the soaking, and the seal gradually faded back into its invisible state.

“Thank you Sakura... By the way, Shikamaru is in charge of researching your Slave’s background, so he should be the one to talk to, should there be something. Tatakai himself of course should not know about any of this. Understood?”

“...I understand”

“Then you are dismissed.”

00000

Sasuke’s thoughts were a mess, Shikamaru’s prodding still fresh on his mind. He’d asked the very questions that Sasuke never voiced, never dared to. Was he dead or alive? It shouldn’t be a question. He had no right to die, he’d promised he’d search. His brother hadn’t abandoned him, he hadn’t! 

But it had been three years.

That had precisely been why he’d tried to pay so much attention to how the Slave Houses handled their paperwork, even though he’d never even got to read his. It was how he knew that slaves were hard to trace, hard to find, and no one really cared.

And why should they? He kicked a stone. He’d overheard them, back then, in the days before Itachi turned himself in.

One had asked if it was safe. He’d been bound and safely tucked away in a locked room, waiting for something to happen and just getting familiar with the feel of having his chakra locked within his own body. Back when he hadn’t known yet that it was the collars doing and not the seal they’d placed on him.

_ “Ah, you know, they only agree to take those that have no ties left. These brothers were strangers in town, never integrated into society. No one will bother to look for them. They’ll just assume they’ve moved on.” _

The casual way these words had been spoken had burned into his memory like hot iron into skin. The guilt of having been caught in such a trap. The hope, no, knowledge, that his skilled brother would bust him out.

His promise to himself that he wouldn’t let something like that happen again. And if it meant following Itachi’s advice and being more social; to integrate into society. He would have been willing to do it, then. All for naught.

Hopes had been crushed so cruelly, the guilt in him still strong.  _ He’ _ d been his brothers downfall.

Sasuke had barely registered returning home and taking out some eggs and rice, it all had happened on autopilot. He was hungry. Then, while holding the pan, he suddenly felt his seal. The signal was different than usual however. Sakura wasn’t searching for him, she wasn’t ordering him to come. No, she was doing something with the seal, something he didn’t know.

Displeased, he waited for the feeling to pass, focusing on the distraction that had been provided, trying to figure out what this could mean while he waited. He thought to feel the slight trace of an unknown person in it, he couldn’t glean anything more about it though. It was too faint. Then,the glow slowly faded and he continued preparing the meal, waiting for Sakura to return, fuming.

She hadn’t included him in her messings, that much was clear. She had done something without even telling him in advance, and there had been no trace of anything indicating she might have required the assistance of her slave. He had no clue what had happened and it made him feel excluded, out of control. A slave seal could be somewhat beneficial, For the brief moment the connection was fully established, when an order was given through, it piped through a lot of additional, unvoiced information. And while he despised the seal, it was useful to know the emotional baggage that an order carried.

This had not been an order though, he’d felt the seal, but not much else. She hadn’t tried to connect with him, she must have done something else. And he was in no mood for anyone compromising his being, especially behind his back. It pissed him off.

The food was done and just simmering by the time she opened the door to greet him. He met her eyes coldly.

“What did you do?”

Sakura looked puzzled.

“What did you do with the seal?”

“Oh, you felt that? It didn’t hurt, did it? I’m…”

“What. Did. You. Do?!” He was suddenly standing very near, right in front of her, slightly towering. She took a step back cautiously.

“I tested something, alright? Don’t worry about it, it wasn't dangerous. The opposite, it was a safety measure.”

Sasuke wasn't happy with the vagueness of the answer, it had the taste of hiding something, but he knew he had no way to make her tell him.

“Don't ever mess with those seals behind my back  _ ever _ again!”

“I’m responsible for you. I’ll take action when I see fit.”

She got a bitter laugh in return. “So, just because the seal makes me a slave, I can’t take care of myself?”

“That’s not what I meant, and you know it.”

This: Just brushing off what he’d said. It only made Sasuke angrier. Most of the time she acted as if he was an equal, refusing to acknowledge the order of things, the slave seal brought. She went as far as giving him freedom where he wasn’t supposed to have any, like supporting his training quietly, instead of telling him to stop.

She had almost deliberately kept out of his business, refusing to ask the questions he could see in her gaze. She must have tried to keep him at a distance, he realized. Trying to give him a life, instead of controlling it.

But she would also give him silly little jobs to accomplish. Little responsibilities. It felt more like pretense than anything else. She clearly had managed it all on her own before. 

And now she had gone and meddled with the seal, claiming it was for safety. If his or hers, she hadn’t said. Just what did she want with him?

He realized that he’d been scrutinizing her during his silent contemplation. She was looking at him unsurely as a result. Annoyed, he turned away, grabbing the pan from the stove and filling the plates with angry movements.

“Why are you mad at me?” She asked after sitting down. When he didn’t reply, she quietly thanked for the food, took a bite, then looked at him expectantly. Did she really expect an answer? He started eating, ignoring her question. At first she looked like she wanted to start shouting, annoyed that he dared to do this, but then she fisted her hands and blew her bangs out of her eyes, in an attempt to focus on something else, forcing herself to relax.

She sighed and seemed to decide against pressing the issue, and so they continued eating in silence until she apparently felt the need to interrupt once more.

“Uhm, we are going to evaluate your skills today. That means you will fight Kakashi, me and possibly Naruto, too. We will go to meet the others in about half an hour, so let’s finish up here and get ready, alright?”

“Hn” ...ts, as if he’d have a choice…

00000

They stood by the bridge, Naruto had already been waiting. To Sasuke, he always seemed to be. He himself stood there, equipped with his sword and the borrowed Kunai and Shuriken.

This would probably be the first somewhat serious fight he had in awhile. Weight-wise, he was still on the light side, but his strength and stamina had rapidly increased over the past few weeks. He still felt some gaps here and there, but his now older body and the boost his male hormones had given it, did even that out a bit.

He couldn't help the anticipation he felt within. After the stirring of emotions Shikamaru and then Sakura had caused this noon, he just itched for a good fight. No one spoke. The waiting silence did not help to keep him distracted, and so he drifted off to his musings once more. It was easy to do so now, he wished back the blanking-out he’d have in his cell in the slave house, ironically it just wasn’t possible to drift back into that state anymore.

_ No ties left _ … Itachi’s downfall. Hope that had been shattered. He had promised, said he’d keep looking!

Uncertainty. Pain, all consuming pain. This hollow feeling. Guilt that emotions couldn’t register. Not anymore. Detached. Waiting.

Waiting was all he could do, up till now. Wait for his brother, wait until something changed, now wait until Shikamaru turned something up. Hah, as if.

His fingernails dug grooves into the wooden bridge handle as he grabbed them to keep himself calm, knuckles turning white.

It was  _ his _ fault. Of course he knew. The thought had hit him a thousand times. They had used Itachi’s _ little brother _ to get to him. They had known that they dealt with ninja’s, they’d known that  _ he _ , Sasuke, was the weaker one. They’d suspected that he was  _ his _ weakness.

Itachi’s weakness.

Sasuke finally had the chance to train again though. He would not be weak again, he would not be caught by surprise again. No, he’d make sure of it.

Itachi’s weakness.

_ He _ , Sasuke, was still a slave. What guarantee did he have to… he could still be controlled, subdued so easily… what if… what if… Itachi got rid of his  _ weakness _ ?

An involuntary shudder went down his spine, but he couldn’t stop the thoughts from spinning.

Wasn’t it only natural? His family,  _ their _ family… Sasuke faintly remembered their demands, their constant attention. He’d often wondered if Itachi had just snapped. He had seemed guilty afterwards, but they’d lived on. Itachi had lived on. He had gotten rid of his boundaries. Of his family… What if he’d done it again?

It had been three years, after all.

He wouldn’t even need to kill… his _little_ _brother_ could not invoke any consequences for him. _He_ was without ties after all. How likely was it to simply forget… forget about his _little brother_?

Could  _ he _ forgive  _ his brother _ ? Would  _ he _ do the same? Get rid of  _ his weakness _ ,  _ his ties _ to  _ his brother _ . Was it weighing  _ him _ down? Could  _ he _ forget, move on?

_ No one will bother to look for them,...  _ ties might have saved them...  _ him _ … the thought brought bitter amusement. It was all too late now. 

00000

Her  _ slave _ , how she hated that word, was standing at the bridge, clearly fuming. It wasn’t that he was showing much expression, no, he was as closed off as ever. She could see his tension in other things.

She’d been observing him for a while now. His eyes were coldly fixated on the water, spaced off, in some dimension only he had access to. Thinking about it, she wasn’t that surprised, she knew how grating waiting could be, after all, they were the students of the one infamous Kakashi. Yeah, he wasn’t as intimidatingly famous for his skills to them, more so famous because of his habitual lateness. Which they’d forgiven easily once they’d known that he always forgot time at his teammate’s graves.

Her slave must have had an awful lot of time to pass in those cell units where she’d found him in. Spacing off probably had been the only thing he could easily do there. His posture was somewhat rigid, fingers that dug into wood. He looked itching for a fight, and she wasn’t sure if approaching him would be safe. He seemed to still be listening, registering his environment somewhat, but not actively taking part in it.

Naruto, she saw, was also finely in tune with the signals the other gave. She’d never understand how Naruto could sometimes be so perceptive, when he clearly acted like such a blockhead most of the time. However, she knew, he’d grown up observing people, wishing to be part of whatever he saw. And being in the same team with him had opened her eyes eventually. He indeed spent much more time observing than pranking people. She assumed that was why his pranks were useful for ninja life. He based them off experience he’d observed. Despite the craving for attention he’d felt, which had mostly been answered in some negative and possibly stunting way, he’d actually learned a lot by getting people into weird situations. He just hadn’t let them bring him down, ever.

Glancing back to Tatakai, she wondered if he was angry because of her and the seal. Had the discussion with Shikamaru gone alright? Had they gotten somewhere, reached some kind of understanding? She sure hoped so. And then, there were her own worries. She would evaluate him, his skillset. She would push him to see if he could hold his own. She needed to know now. She wouldn’t be able to do her job right if they took on missions above his skill level. And neither would he.

Yes, Tsunade had signed him up for missions, but now that her initial panic had resided and Kakashi had informed her that they’d evaluate him soon, she realized, they would base the missions upon his skill set, they wouldn’t take him on missions outside of his skill level. Still, it put her ill at ease.

00000

Kakashi, when he finally arrived, brought some ridiculous excuse about some appointment with the hair-dresser which no one bought, then they took off to the training ground.

“Alright, the purpose of this afternoon is less training, but more so to evaluate our new team member and to get familiar with the techniques he uses. Mainly, this will be to figure out how well you can hold your own in a fight. Tatakai, you will fight me first!”

Tatakai didn't reply, only took a few steps forward then facing Kakashi, emotions storming under a calm facade.

00000

The fight had been intense. Kakashi was mulling over his findings while he watched Naruto and Tatakai. The slave certainly had had a good teacher, he had known that before, but not to what extent. Now, having built up his stamina and endurance to a reasonable level, his Taijutsu was proficient. His speed was astonishing and his use of Genjutsu actually quite well placed from a tactical standpoint. 

Instead of basing the fight on Genjutsu itself, he only seemed to make use of it for miniscule amounts of time, often dispelling it before even he, Kakashi, had properly detected what it was. It had taken him a whole while to figure out, too. Many lesser ninjas might not have realized that something had been going on at all.

Furthermore, while he had shown a variety of nature transformations, he had shown a preference for lightning based Jutsu (though he apparently did not have anything, that was even close as powerful as Chidori). Speed for hand seals, with which Kakashi had a very hard time to even see without the Sharingan and considerable sword wielding skills.

He, too, had used some shadow clones occasionally to stay safe. He did seem comfortable at the offensive though, thrive in it really.

Kakashi couldn't help but think back on his earlier discoveries. The reaction to the Sharingan, a feat he hadn’t used in this fight, but especially the fact, that the other had known ANBU sign language.

There was a connection between him and Konoha and he wondered if Shikamaru had figured it out. When he had told him his findings the other hadn’t seemed surprised, but he hadn't told him anything, either. Shikamaru held his trust though, and so he would let him handle this business, even if he wasn't entirely comfortable having a member on his team who might or might not have had some negative history with Konoha.

The other had already shown tactical thinking in past group exercises, and again today. He was not to be underestimated. It also bothered him slightly that he had felt like the other had held back some, though he really could understand why the other wouldn't want them to know everything. Well, they could work with what he did show for now and it was reassuring to know that he had more potential. Kakashi focused back on the fight at hand.

They both seemed to enjoy the challenge. Tatakai seemed more at ease now that he was fighting Naruto, and Kakashi knew it was not the skill that made the difference. It seemed that both, while not quite going all out, they were not holding back much either. Tatakai was probably still having a bit advantage over his lesser known fighting style, but his body was not yet at its full capacity, either. Over all, the fight seemed surprisingly balanced.

Tatakai was proving that he was quite capable to fight against multiple opponents, he also was supplying his performance with a bigger variation of elemental Jutsu now, apparently instead of using Genjutsu.

Rightnow he could see him move through another set of hand seals with uncanny speed. Forming chakra around his forearm, then running ahead and grazing as many clones with it as possible. The technique, though much weaker than Chidori, was used quite similarly. He again had shown to be able to control multiple nature transformations. Kakashi wondered what his affinity was. Lightning and Fire Release seemed both quite equally strong. He hadn’t used Lightning too often though, nor had he shown any stronger Jutsu with it. He’d used both Releases only with relatively non-descript techniques. There were maybe a handful that he knew himself, as well as some that seemed familiar, like he’d seen them before out on a mission and Kakashi wondered if the other did this on purpose. Using generic Jutsu to keep them from pinpointing who had taught him.

The strategy he had applied to find the real Naruto had taken out quite a few of the clones, plus Kakashi knew, should he have hit real Naruto, he’d might have paralyzed him too, for a moment at least. Naruto was already preparing his next Jutsu, another one on the more powerful side.

Kakashi decided that it was enough for the moment and called them off. It ended in Naruto complaining, which resulted in an insult from Tatakai.

It did cross his mind, that Tatakai was truly living up to his name rightnow. He looked rather unhappy to have been interrupted, even though he had called Naruto childish for complaining.

“Alright, last round, Sakura?” Kakashi had kept a close eye on the slave, and surely, the reaction was one of barely concealed displeasure. Something he had expected. Still, the boy brushed the sweat from his brows and waited for Sakura to step forward and for Kakashi to give the signal to start.

00000

Sakura was annoyed. The whole thing had started out well enough. Tatakai opened the fight with an offensive move, barely leaving her time to react before he executed the next. She had stomped the ground, sending him flying and had been satisfied then. After all, he had caught himself easily and had pressed on. 

He had fought well, too, challenging her nicely. Even though he hadn’t tried any possibly lethal attacks, he still had managed to push her into a corner one time, not letting her near his body again. It had just been a moment that a tad fear had surged through her, but it had probably been the moment, things had started to turn sour.

She had been holding back, her super strength and medical Ninjutsu could cause severe damage, and some even kill immediately if not blocked some way. Holding back made sense for that fact already. She had instead been opting to paralyze him again, but he had not let her near enough for her to initiate her techniques, having learned from the last time she had blocked his chakra. He didn’t seem to go all on out, but quite challenging in the boundaries of this being an evaluation fight amongst teammates. 

She had tried to get him to come near her, and he had, at first, his speed being scary. She had known though, for them to see what would happen, she’d have to risk it. It would be a test for them both. A test if he could handle her, but also if she could handle his speed. He had faltered right then and drawn back.

It took her a while to notice, but somehow the fight was not as challenging as before. It was almost as if he was not into it anymore, almost as if he was holding back in a different way. Just pushing her so far that he knew she could take it without too much difficulty.

Therefore, she was annoyed. And having blocked another one of these attacks he put up, too easily, she was starting to get fed up.

“Tatakai, what is this? Did you think i wouldn't notice? Am I not good enough to be pushed to my limits by you? Huh?... Do not hold back on me! Don't dare even think about it. Got it? Don't underestimate me.”

She punched the ground again, sending stones flying with the shockwave, just to where he was. He had barely blocked the rubble and was still thrown back several meters.

She ran after him. He stood still, but evaded her direct hit at the last second. Speeding in for a counterattack. She barely moved out of the way in time, but he was already there, grabbing her wrist. Then, as he was trying to use her arm as lever to twist her to the ground, he caught her gaze with his own. Holding the gaze he made her come to a halt and she felt a weird feeling wash over her. Knowing almost immediately that he had cast a Genjutsu, she dispelled it easily. This was nothing challenging. She felt him twist her around in an attempt to pin her to the ground and quickly substituted herself. He had not even  _ attempted _ to break her wrist.

She saw that he was breathing hard, gritting his teeth. He also seemed a shade paler than when they had started out. But he had shifted back into a fighting stance, making hand seals at a rapid speed, keeping a keen eye on her. Another Genjutsu. This time it had taken her a tad longer, also because he had mainly manipulated her hearing. She’d never encountered a Genjutsu like that before. Naruto had sounded quite convincing, it hadn't tipped her off. The only thing that had, was a slight change in her chakra flow, it was still astonishing her, how aware she was of her own chakra. Awareness came of course with controlling said chakra, but she had been told multiple times that her grasp on chakra itself and controlling it was extraordinary, which had made it possible for her to become one of the best medics alive. 

She brushed it aside, dispelling the illusion easily, but when she had to do so for a third time she was starting wonder… The fourth time, she started getting rather annoyed. Didn't he get it? Genjutsu wasn't going to work on her! Yes, he had tried different things, different levels, but it seemed that he hadn't caught the root problem as her ability to detect it. Instead of feeling flattered that he had a hard time figuring her out, it left a bitter taste in her mouth. She needed to know if he could protect himself.

She looked him over again. His hair hung into his face in sweaty streaks, he was breathing unnaturally hard for having only tried to trap her in illusions repeatedly. He was grasping his arm and she somehow got the impression that he looked like he was in pain. But he was already shifting into a stance again, creating hand seals. So she ignored her thoughts, focussing on the fight.

00000

The gates of Konoha were imposingly reaching towards the sky and Sai was glad to see them. The young man had made it back close to record time, having lost any interest in drawing outside these walls after his unexpected run in with Tatakai’s brother. With the Uchiha.

He reported his arrival to the guards and they let him pass. Walking through the streets, he pondered about his report, he would have to report the run in with these ninja too, though, he already knew that he could say barely anything after the Weasel ANBU had made clear that it was Danzo’s business. When he arrived, he waited for an audience with the Hokage.

Ever since he had become a member of Team Seven, all his missions had been approved by the Hokage. There was a simple reason for it, too. Danzo had a lot of ninja slaves and units that weren't on the Hokage’s radar. It was much easier to send them on an unsanctioned mission than someone, who was involved with a team that the Hokage personally was invested with. He had gotten his way with getting Sai into the Team, but the price for it was, that Sai primarily would answer the Hokage and not him anymore. Danzo could request him, and did so too, but Tsunade always knew about it. 

Of course both sides knew that he was a spy, reporting Danzo on a regular basis. But neither of them knew exactly how much information was transferred. And while Sai still let Danzo believe he was his faithful slave, he didn’t report nearly as much as he could have; withholding information whenever he safely could do so. He didn’t know if he really fooled the man, but he knew that Danzo couldn’t easily replace his position in the team, therefore he felt relatively safe.

Finally he was called in and bowed in front of the Hokage.

“Tsunade-sama, the mission was a success, I already wrote my report on the way back. It’s here.” He handed her the scroll and then went on giving her a summarized version of the mission progress and what he had learned, all the while keeping Danzo’s requested details to himself. However, he did inform the Hokage about the run in he had as well as he could:

“There is something else I need to report… On the way back I, by chance, met two individuals. They wore dark cloaks with stylised red clouds, I assume it is some kind of organisation. I recognized one as Sakura’s slave’s brother and spoke with him. Originally the brothers were from Konoha. I’m not sure where the brothers loyalties lie, but he made it clear that he is loyal to his brother...”

“Tell me his exact words.” 

“I can’t.” Sai stared at her impassively and she realized that to find out anything more, her best chance would be to ask indirectly. She’d had to do it before, and had some practice in it, therefore, but it was always a bit a lucky gamble to hit a good question. An idea flashed through her already (plus she still needed to brief him of Shikamaru’s mission to unravel the mystery Tatakai presented). She would keep that in mind for after questioning.

“If they’re from Konoha, do you know which Clan they’re from?”

“Yes.” Her eyes widened in surprise, she hadn’t thought that question would actually get her an answer. If Shikamaru was right, they would be Uchiha (he hadn’t reported that he was wrong yet, which made her suspect that he was, indeed, right). And if that was true, then they must have lived hiding their identity. So she had expected it highly unlikely that Sai had found out, so she was all the more surprised that he sounded so sure. It was worth, trying to get confirmation later.

“The other one, the partner, do you know him, or can you describe him at least?”

“Actually yes, I thought I’d seen his face before, and hence checked with my Bingo Book. It was Hoshigaki Kisame, of the Hidden Mist. I however wasn’t quite finished with my report, there is one more thing I can mention.” Tsunade made a sign for him to continue and Sai did.

“The other told me to pass a message to his brother: To make it his mission to protect Naruto from him.” An order for Tatakai? A message that the other must have known would be reported back to her?

She had recognized the description when Kakashi had reported it already, another Akatsuki sighting, a newly identified member, Hoshigaki Kisame. And a tip, a carefully placed intel, a warning!... That was unexpected. She really needed confirm or deny the affiliation of the clan she suspected, if the man Sai had spoken to had told the truth at all. Sai had sounded pretty convinced though.

“Have any of them attacked or threatened you?”

“Doujutsu based, yes. Determined my loyalties and intentions, told me the messages, then knocked me out.” Doujutsu, an eye technique, that also spoke for the Uchiha-theory.

“So you met an Uchiha?!” She stated, matter of factly. Sai’s reaction of course was minimal, the surprise quickly masked, but she had seen it and it answered her question well enough. She’d think about this after he had left.

“I have issued Shikamaru with a mission upon request. He is mission leader and the mission is about Sakura’s slave intentions and identity. Therefore, please report what you can to him also. Tatakai is to not-know about this mission nor anybody’s involvement in it, Sakura is also only minimally involved. Alright, I need to think about these new components, I’ll call you back here if needed, for now you’re dismissed.”

Sai bowed, then left to give Danzo his report and pass on his message.

00000

He had underestimated the impact of cultivated chakra. He’d only felt it briefly before, never like this. The ache had spread all over. Digging his skin, screaming. She had pitted him against his limitations and he was paying for failing to meet her expectations.

He had thought he was accustomed to pain before. Being a Shinobi usually heightened ones pain tolerance, so compared to a civilian, the pain he could endure without breaking a sweat was much greater. It was how he had managed throughout his years of slavery, how he had gotten through relatively unscathed so far.

It had never been this bad though. He had never had a ninja as owner, not since the day he’d been captured. He had forgotten how it was. These first days had been overwhelming on every level and he had thought that the intense sensations back then merely had been him adjusting to the new subjugation. He’d been wrong, he realized, it hadn’t been linked back to him dealing with it primarily, but to his owner’s chakra, and he had never expected it to be like this. Eating him up like acid, burning. Making it harder than ever to focus, to fight. The relief that taking action brought was hardly worth the effort. And the increase of pain over time as she grew more and more displeased, didn't allow him to get numb either. 

The seal had been activated and he didn't know how much more he could take. He could not do what she asked for, he was stuck, no matter what he did, he’d push one ban or another and suffer for it. This wasn’t about her skill in battle, she was probably holding back, too. This wasn’t about him hiding his identity. It wasn’t about winning. It had all turned into pain with no escape.

And he knew, she didn’t even realize what she had done… what she was doing right now. Her mindless comments had made this fight living hell. Again he moved through hand seals. The action had become instinctual. He couldn’t think clearly. He was running, the action bringing the pain a tad down… or was it only distracting? His vision swam, the aim was off. He was doing worse. Why did Genjutsu not work on her? It would have been so much easier… so much less painful…

He was panting. Having come to a halt again, he leaned on his sword to keep balance in his crouched footing, he noticed himself shaking. He turned his head to locate the Kunoichi, barely hearing anything. His ears were singing. The view was limited and he did not know where Sakura had gone to. Desperately he scrambled to his feet, but he had barely started when his vision turned black and his limbs refused to work.

Sasuke twitched in the dirt.

00000

Far away, a brother was sitting on his bed in a Akatsuki hideout close to Konoha. They had made it there in record time and he needed rest. A run-in with some hunter-nin had been an unpleasant annoyance, and while he had let Kisame deal with most of them, the running still had taken a toll on his lungs. He felt like shit, though lately he’d felt like that all the time. He’d need to restock his cough suppressant, and the little amount of painkillers he allowed himself only took off the bare edge. More would interfere with his skill, and he couldn’t allow that. He was waiting right now for the painkillers to kick in, breathing shallow and feeling sore.

His brother had reappeared. The years of fruitless searching had an end. It had to be the real thing, he believed Sai’s story. He had been consistent with his answers and what he said fit Sasuke as he knew him.

It was frustrating. All these years he’d imagined meeting his brother again, hearing of him somewhere, discovering him somewhere, freeing him. But now that he finally heard of him for real, he was on a mission and about to pretend to capture of Konoha’s Jinchuuriki and his brother back in Konoha where he actually had a chance of a decent life, slavery or not. He couldn’t take Sasuke away again, he didn’t want to take Sasuke away again. But he’d make sure Sasuke was safe and could build up a life without him.

Just a bit longer. He had to hold on to life just a bit longer. He owed his little brother at least that.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks everyone for reading. Kudos, and feedback of any kind will be met with great appreciation!
> 
> I'll hopefully get the next chapter ready within the next 1.5-2 Weeks


	8. Clash and Connect

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thank you to all those who gave me support so far! It makes me happy.

There was a beeping noise and hushed sounds, the smell of antiseptics and rustling of clothes. Sasuke groaned when he moved his arm a tiny bit. He felt rather sore, not that that was something new to him, it was merely unpleasant. But this could not be Sakura’s house, her apartment didn’t sound like this… So where was he?

When he finally opened his eyes, there was artificial light blinding him and after that passed, he could see Naruto and Sakura sitting close by his bedside, leaning forward to get a better look at his waking self. Thank goodness they were quiet, he already felt a bit of a headache forming. Just what the hell had happened?

“Tatakai?” Sakura’s voice sounded worried,  _ great _ ...

“Hn” he turned to look at her, fully intending to sit up and get out of bed, he halted when he saw her face though. Dust coated, sweaty and even a graze or two marred her face.

“Thanks Kami you’re okay… Just what did you think you were doing? Pushing yourself to collapse! Do you have…” He drowned her out as the memories started to resurface. Right… now it came back to him. The fight,... and then the pain, the all consuming pain. He’d collapsed?

He finally sat up, swinging his legs over the edge of the bed and just sitting there, holding his head. Yeah his head hurt, though it became bearable after a moment. His attention moved to lesser pains, he felt the needle in his hand that must have been providing him with liquid while he was unconscious.

“Sakura, stop pestering him.” a monotone voice cut through the haze. Sasuke raised his head, searching for the source, and surely enough, Kakashi was leaning against the wall, orange book loosely in his hand and looking mildly bored.

“So you’re back, mind telling us what all that was about?”

Sasuke glared and Naruto chose that time to speak up: “You gave us a good scare, that’s for sure. Oh come on, don’t give me that look, we were worried, ‘kay?” 

The glare only intensified.

“Alright, alright, someone is grumpy. Can’t be that bad then.” Naruto offhandedly commented.

“Naruto! Show some respect!” That was Sakura again…

Ignoring the argument, Sasuke stood up, leaning on the wall for support. That was when he noticed himself wearing a hospital gown. “Where are my clothes?”

The others looked up and Sakura set out to answer quickly: “In the bag over there, I’ll bring you new ones.”

“Now!”

“You should stay here for observation, we still don’t know what caused it.”

“It’s over.”

“How can you be so sure?”

“I won’t explain it here”  _ nor anywhere else… _ The truth was, he had no idea if and how he should bring up the subject. He didn’t want her to have this kind of knowledge. Especially not after she had just gone and messed with the seal. And he wasn’t looking forward to share such knowledge with so many people around, either. It was a well guarded secret among the slaves for a reason. 

“Hmm, alright, I’ll get you checked out, but I expect an explanation at home. Naruto, could you fetch him some clothes in the meanwhile?” 

And so, after Sakura had removed the needle connecting Tatakai to the drip, Kakashi ended up watching over the slave alone. Rightnow the one in question had locked himself in the bathroom. Kakashi suspected he had been drinking from the tab, and if the noises were anything to go by, probably freshened up some, too. When the other finally re-emerged, he still looked as grumpy as ever, though.

“How do you feel?” He casually asked, which only got him a grumble that might have meant “Fine” in response. Kakashi sighed, the boy was not making conversation easy.

00000

Sai thought back to the conversation he’d had with Danzo just moments before:

_ “Code-name Weasel, ANBU.  _ _ If you as much as touch my brother, I will pass on classified Village intel to every enemy nation. _ _ " _ _   
_ First disbelief, just barely visible, then carefully concealed rage. Danzo had started asking questions. The interrogation didn’t leave him much wiser, though. Sai couldn’t and wouldn’t tell him much useful. The ANBU Weasel had been careful and Sai didn’t feel like reporting the bathroom incident and the others apparent health issues. He hadn’t told him much more than Tsunade. Danzo should know about the things implied, anyway, he needn’t point out that the other had spilled secrets to him already, nor why he’d done so. Danzo’s questions about the little brother had been carefully answered, Sai knew he couldn’t straight out hide that part, but he had realized that the other had set him up to reveal that information in a controlled manner, so Danzo would not be able to act.

The day had left him dead tired though, he briefly considered searching out Tatakai to pass the last message, but tiredness won out, it could wait until the next day, surely. At home, he only did the bare minimum of the bathroom routine before crashing in his bed.

00000

When they got home, Sakura quickly grabbed Tatakai’s arm before he could run off to his room.

“We’re going to talk!”

“Let go of me!” He bit out. She followed up his request and he quickly stepped away, putting distance between them. She ushered all of them into the living room, telling them to sit down. Then, when everyone was settled, she turned to look at Tatakai expectantly. He simply returned her stare, saying nothing.

“Come on, we’re alone now.”

“We’re not.” He threw an annoyed glance at the group clogging the couch. Sakura let out an huff.

“We’re a team. Do you have any clue how much that scared us? We need to know what caused it, this would be lethal in a real mission!”

“I won’t fight you in a real mission.”

“Are you saying it was me?”

“Maybe” He really didn’t want to talk about this. He still had no idea how to approach the subject without giving her more power. Kakashi put a calming hand on Sakura’s arm before speaking up.

“Tatakai, was it the slave seal?”

Sasuke narrowed his eyes.

“Did something activate the punishment function, was that it?” Kakashi’s voice was gentle, but still probing. 

“And if it did, what does it matter? You won’t release me from it. And why should I reveal anything to someone who messes with the seal behind my back?” Hesent a pointed glance at Sakura, who looked away.

“I’m sorry that I can’t free you. Tsunade won’t let me.” She meekly said. 

“Wait,” Naruto exclaimed staring at Sakura “Baa-chan ordered you to get a slave?”

“Yes essentially that’s it.”

“Man, I’d never have thought... I’ve been wondering how she was involved since you said she was, but dang…” He turned to Tatakai, who had his anger quietly concealed, not saying a word. “I feel sorry for you, it’s never fun to be in one of Baa-chan’s schemes.”

Sasuke didn’t voice any of his thoughts, but they ran haywire in his head. Why would someone order Sakura to get a slave? It was so obvious she didn’t need one. She didn’t need him. What was he here for?...

“Back on subject: Look Tatakai, I’m not out on my way to harm you, but I can’t change the circumstances right now. So I’d be really glad if you could tell me what set it off, so we can avoid it.”

Sasuke just glared at her.

“So it was me?! What did I do wrong? You can have a one on one fight with your Master, you proved that last time we sparred, so that can’t be it....”

Lips twitching. A snorting sound.

“...Is this funny to you? Me trying to guess what it was because you won’t tell me? Do you realize that I want to know this to keep you safe?”

“You have not earned my trust.” Sasuke’s voice cut through the air, coldly.

“I’m sorry… but what if we’re sent on a real mission soon? What...”

“You piss me off!” He got up, about to leave the room. Enough was enough.

“We aren’t done, don’t just leave!”

Annoyed, Sasuke turned around, leaning casually against the door frame.

“And what will you do? Punish me?” He sneered. He’d use her cluelessness to his advantage, that was the purpose of keeping this whole matter a secret. She looked frustrated. Sasuke ignored the others observing gazes until Naruto butted in.

“Hey Teme, that’s not how Sakura is, and you know it!” 

Sasuke turned to Naruto. “Keep out of it.” He glared at the blond and then returned his attention to Sakura, only to disengage himself from the door frame a moment later. His moves were slow and controlled as he came over.

“You don’t want to have a slave, do you?” He stood in front of her, not exactly invading her personal space, but close to it. His stare was unnerving.

“You’ve assigned me some duties, silly little ones, but if I fail to complete them, you just go do them yourself. You don’t question me about it, you don’t punish me for it either. No, actually you try giving me a choice, you tried to give me some freedom. Then you went and messed with the seal. See my problem with you?”

“I…” She was obviously searching for words. But Sasuke wasn’t done, he was sick of this, of how she acted.

“I was trying to figure out your motivations for having me around, but it didn’t end up making any sense, no matter how I looked at it. You kept me at a distance, you didn’t really need the help in the house. You only kept an eye on my recovery and progress, encouraging me to do my own thing.

“I think I figured it out now. You don’t see the reason for this whole situation, either. You were ordered to go get a slave and you obeyed without even trying to find out why. Just like a little slave should. I think you just wanted to please everyone, me included.”

He smirked at the shocked look on her face.

“And now you figured out that you can’t ignore the situation and the hierarchy the seal demands and expect me to trust you with it’s secrets. Let me tell you one thing, I won’t let you push me around!“

He looked her straight in the eyes, she looked away, trying to collect herself to form any kind of reply, shocked at his tauntingly direct approach.

“I… I guess you’re right with some things…” She sighed. “I need to think about what you said…But I just want to let you know, I do trust Tsunade, and I know there is a reason she told me to get you, even though she probably didn’t expect you to be a ninja and become my teammate… So...” She trailed off.

“You have no plan” Sasuke pointed out.

“Not yet, no. But I’ll figure it out eventually. In the meantime we just got to put up with each other.” They were quiet and Sakura rose her gaze to meet his still smoldering one. He didn’t reply.

Kakashi, deciding that they wouldn’t be able to resolve the issue right now, claimed that he had to go to talk with Shikamaru, and once Sai was back, with Sai too. “...and let’s all go get some sleep tonight, ne? Meet at the bridge as usual?”

00000

Sasuke had headed out quickly, needing some space despite being tired. Sakura hadn’t looked pleased at his leaving, but she hadn’t stopped him after he’d said where he’d go. So, currently, he was sitting leaned on a tree by the Hokage Monument and he wasn’t really planning on going home to sleep. He just didn’t feel like sleeping in an enclosed space if he had the choice.

Staring at the stars, he wondered if Itachi could see them too, right now. He felt alone. It had felt good to finally speak his mind, but it had left him feeling hollow. She didn’t know why she had him, she had no plan how to find out. And he didn’t know what would happen now. It took a long time to fall asleep.

00000

Sai had gone over to Sakura’s first thing in the morning. She had appeared quite tired and had even admitted to not having slept a lot. When he asked why, she briefly told him of the happenings the day before and Sai patiently listened, before offering to talk to the slave himself.

Soon, he was on his way to the Hokage Monument, greeting the other when he saw him in the morning light. The Uchiha only nodded and continued shifting through his motions, making the deadly moves look like a dance. Sai stood and watched for a little while, taking note of the improvement in control and strength. The other finished up, glaring at him.

“Did Sakura send you?”

“No, I offered to go look for you, since I needed to talk to you anyway.”

Sceptical eyes followed his movements instead of a reply. Then Sai dropped the bomb:

_ “I met your brother,...” _

Eyes widened, posture changed, the other too stunned to formulate any questions.

_ “. _ ..he told me to pass a message:… He said you should make it your mission to protect Naruto. Precisely to protect Naruto from him.”

Sasuke, dumbfoundedly stared at the other for a while, trying to verify that he had heard right… “Naruto?”

Sai only nodded.

Sasuke swallowed, the implications of that statement, that order, slowly sinking in. If this was real, then his brother had implied that, if he would be around Naruto, they might meet. But it also implied that they’d be on opposing sides… it implied that Itachi wanted him to stay on opposing sides, on Naruto’s side. Why? What was his brother doing?

“... How... is he?”

Sai had expected that question, he sighed, not really wanting to tell him the truth, but not finding it inside himself to keep it in. “He was coughing pretty badly in the bathroom, and he looked rather exhausted when he came out. That’s how we met actually.”

“But he’s alive.... how did you confirm it’s him? How did he react?” The questions had come like an afterthought.

“You look a lot alike and I remember his face from the time I drew him. Plus, he was wearing that necklace you drew. I mentioned you and I think he got curious. He asked a lot of questions, about you, and about my intentions. He also told me you both were from  _ here _ . He even told me of which  _ clan _ and he proved his word with his  _ eyes _ . You tell me if it’s him or not.”

Itachi had  _ what _ ? Just told him? Sai knew?!... He discreetly hadn’t mentioned any terms, not the Sharingan, no Uchiha, but the brief words left little room to doubt. Sasuke stared at Sai in disbelief. Told him, just so? What had happened to staying undercover?

“It’s him alright.” He breathed out finally. He really wanted a proper talk with Itachi.

“He wasn’t showing it very well, but I think he was glad to finally hear from you. And he mentioned not being sure if you wanted him back in your life.”

Freezing inside, he took in these words. It was like shards painfully driving into his conscious. No, this couldn’t be. His brother knew him better than that, didn’t he? But as the words sank in, slowly(still too fast), he saw reality behind them. Sasuke shook his head. It was sad. Though, he supposed, it was a legitimate reaction if one considered just how many times Sasuke had claimed to hate Itachi; how many times he’d tried to kill him before they’d been separated.

“Now that you know about that... Sakura told me about yesterday.”

And just like that, Sai pulled him back to the present. Sasuke was glad for the distraction.

“Yeah, so? What do you want?”

“I understand your position. We’re in the same boat after all. I just told her I’d mention it to you. I don’t care if and what you tell her…” As they fell back into silence, Sasuke’s thoughts ran back to the conversation about his brother once more… He realized, it hadn’t been mentioned:

“Is my brother still a slave?” Sai looked up, only mildly surprised.

“I doubt it. Honestly. He seemed very independent. Then again, I didn’t know to ask.”

00000

Itachi sighed tiredly. They were in a hide out close to Konoha, which they would use as a base to observe their target again. That was at least the official version. Itachi felt lucky to have his brother so close by. He could go observe his progress, his situation before making a move.

Kisame and he both agreed that kidnapping someone from within a hidden village was out of question. They were observing their target so they could formulate a plan, but the Uchiha had had no hurry with that. He didn’t know how much Kisame suspected, but Kisame had dropped a few hints indicating that he did. He didn’t seem in a hurry with it, either.

They were sitting at a distance, having followed Naruto to a bridge. To avoid an easy detection they had traded the Akatsuki cloaks for plain ones, but kept wearing their hats.

Naruto was undoubtfully early, and they witnessed how he seemed to do a balance exercise on the railing. He was quiet and focussed. But when a pink haired Kunoichi approached he got up to greet her:

_ “Good Morning Sakura-chan! Where is Tatakai? Isn’t he participating, too, today?”  _ Sai had told him that  _ Sakura  _ was his brother’s owner, hadn’t he? The voice was faded by the distance, but they could still hear his words quite clearly. Sakura-chan, however, wasn’t as loud and they had a harder time to make out her answer.

From what they could gather, this  _ Tatakai _ had gone off to the Hokage Monument after a fight, and _ Sai (that Sai?)  _ went to find and talk to him this morning. Hadn’t Sai had mentioned Tatakai to be the name his brother went by these days? Itachi thought about the possibility that Sai, quite possibly, was setting his plan in motion right now, lips twitching slightly. He’d have his answer soon. Kisame was itching for a fight, and Itachi knew just how to utilize that fact.

_ “I hope they’ll show up soon. Kakashi’s surely going to take his sweet time. I need a distraction.” _

_ “Then use the time to practice” _

_ “That’s what i was doing before you came.” _

_ “Well don’t bother me, I’m not your entertainment.” _ The conversation ceased and they waited. Naruto indeed started up another exercise while Sakura merely stared off into the waters of the creek, leaning against the railing of the bridge. Then, after a while, Naruto looked up, anticipation in his posture. Surely enough a moment later, two new arrivals crossed the field next to the bridge, their backs towards them.

“The one on the right is the one we met at the inn.” Kisame said quietly. Itachi barely nodded, still listening.

_ “Sai, you are back! How was the mission?” _

_ “Obviously, Dickless…” _ Indeed, Itachi recognized the voice as the one from the inn. _ “and it was alright, I suppose. Thanks for asking. I gotta go, though, I need to go talk to Shikamaru, I might join you later.” _

Naruto said goodbye, a bit put out, then turned to the second person opening the conversation with an insult.

_ “Teme!” _

_ “Dobe.”  _ This voice was unfamiliar, could it by any chance be his brother? Even so? His brothers voice would have changed and one word wasn’t enough to judge by intonation. He found himself hoping.

_ “Up for a spar?” _ Naruto now asked. Instead of replying the other moved. The blade was evaded the last second, the swishing sound of cutting air still sharp over the distance.

“He looks like you!” Kisame quietly mused. “Dark hair, bangs, messy hair. Same black eyes and straight nose. Could really be your brother.”

“Hn”

“He’s grown taller…” 

00000 

Naruto had already noticed that something was different about this fight. It was more serious, even though the unspoken line of not using chakra just yet wasn’t being crossed. This spar had a different dynamic than the one yesterday, there was an underlying danger, a challenge and Naruto liked it. They exchanged blows, blocked hits, kicks, evaded blades. The dance was close to deadly.

Sasuke felt Naruto meet the level displayed mostly, almost animalistic in style and response, sometimes. It was like he was reacting on instincts that made his movements fluent without a clearly recognizable signature. Of course there were the standard stances, too, and they were alright, though Sasuke could see room for improvement. It was as if his instincts overrode the standard stances sometimes, somehow. It made him unpredictable. He had noticed that before, but never to this extent. Sasuke pressed on.

“Hey Teme, what’s the deal today?”

No answer. The glare could not be taken as one. Sasuke didn’t care. This was a distraction, a way to figure out what to do... maybe.

He knew that both was as much a lie as a truth. This fight was, simply put, convenient.

00000

Sakura was observing the spar with divided feelings. Tatakai’s fighting displayed his mood quite clear today, but she didn’t know what she should read into it. He was hard-pressing, like yesterday with her, but there was nothing desperate about the fight this time. He seemed to just want to push Naruto’s toes, and in exchange be kept on his as well. He didn’t seem calmer than yesterday, but more focussed, stronger, determined.

She felt uncomfortable. Maybe it was guilt, maybe general tiredness. His words had hit her harshly. So close to the truth. They had repeated every time she’d closed her eyes to sleep, like a splinter stuck under skin that would always bother, demand attention, hurt. She had no clue why Tsunade had her go get a slave. Yes, of course she’d asked, but when she hadn’t gotten a decent answer, she had not tried to get it. She indeed had just gone to buy a slave as if it was a mission. She hadn’t asked, hadn’t tried to argument to get out. She’d counted on Tsunade revealing his purpose when they were back. 

It hadn’t happened. And what Tsunade had said still made no sense to her.

Tsunade had told her that she abused her work in the hospital as a distraction, that saving patients was not all there was. She was still as clueless as before, and Tatakai’s overall attitude wasn’t helping either. Though now that he’d finally spoken his mind, she could comprehend his irritation just a tiny bit better.

It wasn’t a pleasant thought to admit that he’d been mostly right. She’d tried to stay distant, to give him some sort of freedom and she’d been happy with that. But he’d accused her of not taking responsibility, even though she’d thought she’d tried so hard. He’d spoken the truth.  _ His truth _ . The way he’d laid it out, he was right. Of course, the spitefulness had added another spike into her ego. His words had been spoken without care for how she’d feel.

After living and caring for him, she couldn’t help but care a tiny bit what he thought of her though. He’d taken her apart verbally and it was obvious now that he didn’t think of her much at all. Furthermore, she didn’t have any idea of how she could improve this situation, how she could improve in  _ his _ eyes. Even less how to find out why Tsunade had wanted her to get him.

She could admit openly that she hadn’t been the perfect Kunoichi, far from it. But she’d worked hard and with everything she could. Be it in the hospital, saving lifes, or on a mission, supporting teammates.

It was true, Sakura had treated him like a mission that was cancelling out on hospital work. Essentially, she’d just taken the situation as it was, like she did with most things nowadays. Conveniently forgetting that Tsunade in particular had made her do this… and Tsunade always had a scheme when she made a move like that. Every medical nin collapsed of chakra exhaustion ‘ _ now  _ and  _ then’  _ and Sakura had half a mind to just take the easy way out of the problem and blame it on that, but she knew, it just couldn’t be all of it… She knew Tsunade too well for that.

Really, what had gone wrong with her that she had no clue of? Hadn’t it been okay the way it had been? It had been obvious that their team wouldn’t be the same after their time apart. Plus with Sai as a new team member,... even though they hadn’t hit it off very well in the beginning, it was alright now, wasn’t it?... Still, she knew, Naruto was the glue in their little group, while everyone had their lapses, times of drifting off, he kept pulling them back. He’d made Sai a part of their group, and now was making a place for Tatakai as well. Just how was he supposed to fit into the picture?

Naruto was the glue. Sai was already a new piece in. Tatakai was odd, and she didn’t know how to place him to make this work… whatever this was supposed to be. She didn’t have a clue.

00000

Kakashi had arrived late (as always) and unsurprisingly the boys were busy sparring. Sakura, seemed deep in thought and startled a bit when he pointed out their eagerness to fight. Absentmindedly, she agreed and Kakashi knew that conversation was futile rightnow.

“Alright Folks, we’re going to go to training ground four and will do some exercises there.”

Neither Naruto or Tatakai looked too pleased by the disturbance, but they complied. Once there, Kakashi explained what he wanted them to do. He and Sakura did some warm ups and the others did a first round of stretching. Then they split up in pairs to do some sparring, testing the others efficiency and techniques amd giving feedback. The goal was to switch every half an hour.

Sasuke ended up with Kakashi first and both found it an interesting challenge. Since the focus was not evaluation this time, but finding and correcting flaws in stances and blocks, they stopped every minute, or so, to go through the sequence of moves they had chosen again, and trying out different approaches to react and occasionally also correcting something.

What Kakashi found was, that Tatakai’s style was nearly flawless and highly efficient.  Occasionally the movements scratched at the back of his mind. They kind of reminded him of that boy he’d worked with in ANBU times. Though, seeing how similar they both looked, Kakashi was wondering if his mind just played tricks on him. 

Tatakai’s chakra control seemed on a decent level though not all his Jutsu were as polished as they should have been. Tatakai wasn’t sloppy by any means, it just seemed that he hadn’t trained them enough to form an instinct for how much chakra to use and how to focus it. Kakashi ended up telling him just that. Tatakai acknowledged the critique, quietly nodding his head, then, surprisingly, offering some advice on his own. Showing the moves and counter slowly. Only then, Kakashi realized that they had solely focussed on Tatakai, and not once spoken about Kakashi’s own techniques.

Tatakai had been right, though, with his suggestion. What he’d showed gave Kakashi another possibility. The other had pointed out a repetition in his style that made him predictable. One that Kakashi had been rather unaware of. Then, Tatakai had shown him a similar move of which he could easily shift into a different body position than the one he’d used multiple times. It might be beneficial at the right time.

He smiled: one never stopped learning. Still, something about Tatakai and the way he fought bugged him. Honestly, the way he did some Jutsu reminded him of himself. The weird thing was, that it reminded him of the techniques he had once picked up with the Sharingan, but never properly trained. It was those he hadn't taken the time to learn, just memorized.

When doing Jutsu from memory rather than trained instinct, the amount of chakra drawn was usually just a bit off. It wasn’t as efficient. He, Kakashi could copy a Jutsu perfectly in the moment he saw it. Reproducing it later, while adjusting it to a new situation, was a bit more tricky.

And so he wondered if the discrepancy had anything to do with Tatakai’s time as a slave without being able to use chakra. 

00000

Sakura had had a good time training with Naruto. They’d trained together for years and it was a comfortable routine for them both. Sakura gave Naruto tips on chakra control. Naruto in turn taught her blocks and let her practice her techniques on him. Sometimes they laid their focus on how people might avoid them and practice different ways to react, sometimes they practiced the hits themselves.

Over all, even though she’d had a short night, she could enjoy training. Naruto provided a nice distraction to the things that had kept her mind busy and she dreaded the moment she’d have to face Tatakai again.

That moment came way too soon, as Kakashi paired them next. Tatakai looked less than pleased. In fact she once more found herself on the receiving end of his dark glare. 

“Attack me!” He finally said and she suppressed a relieved sigh, she could work with that. Thinking a moment she decided on an approach she wanted to try on Kakashi as well. She moved her left hand to strike his neck side, it was an obvious straightforward move and she had a series of possibilities depending on how he’d react. Her right arm blocking her front, ready to move any time.

He evaded easily, jumping into the air, his feet were coming down fast so she had to move. The incoming blade that was closing in on her back quickly, cut off her escape. She twisted to grab the wrist holding it. Then the flat side of a Kunai pressed into her side as she was trying to force his arm out of the way.

After a moment of holding her still struggling body,... just as she prepared to substitute,.... he let her go abruptly and stepped back. “Same attack!” he ordered her.

She did, ignoring his bossy attitude, just faintly wondering what he would do now. He’d had her with this...

He didn’t move away. Instead he grabbed her hand, pulling it along, forcing her to stumble after him in a circle. She’d had no time nor balance to attack with her free hand as he expertly made her joints betray her to follow the given movement. His lead brought the ground near quickly and she had to substitute before she became incapacitated again.

He nodded, then motioned for her to repeat the exercise. They were at it for a while, and since no words were needed, she didn’t expect any.

“Hold that hand like this. You will be more flexible to react.” His voice was all business, calm, but demanding attention. They repeated and indeed she felt the difference.

They switched after that, her suggestion of course. She followed his example and let him do the same base attack while reacting differently. And at the end she believed they’d had a surprisingly ‘alright’ time together. But she knew, even though he was making an effort during training, his glare told her that he was still mad at her. So in the end she was glad for the time to be over.

00000

Now facing Naruto, Sasuke was wondering what made Naruto so special that Itachi would issue an  _ order _ like that. Naruto attacked and Sasuke blocked, counterattacked, got blocked as well.

An  _ order _ that suggested so many things.

“Again!” Sasuke said.

It made no sense. The blond was good, and his team seemed to work well together, but he was nothing special. No bloodline limits, no ties to important families… Nothing really. Except maybe his ambition to make friends and to become Hokage. Sasuke smirked as they repeated the exercise.

The order itself suggested that Itachi’s true goal hadn’t truly to do something with the blond… What interest could anyone have on a person that had the ambition to aim for the highest position in their village. Naruto would not easily be swayed to betray, a person with such a goal would be loyal to their village.

Naruto suggested they switch and so it was Sasuke's turn to attack. He ended up using a sword technique, combined with a low-level Genjutsu. This was not about him: He wanted to see if he could get Naruto to come out of his reserve, and making him pissed at him was a strategy bound to work.

Well, he learned one thing. Naruto wasn’t called a prankster for nothing. While at first, Naruto had become annoyed and called him out that this was serious training so he shouldn’t use petty tricks to distract, he then had started countering with his own silly antics, appearing to have one hell of a time.

To top it off, Naruto, in the end, used a Jutsu that resulted in Sasuke being embarrassed and Naruto laughing his ass off at the reaction. It made Sasuke wish he had been blind that very moment, as he turned away quite reminiscent of a tomato.

It was obvious that Naruto had won that round and that Sasuke’s little plan had thoroughly backfired, at least in the piss-Naruto-off aspect. 

“Teme, you should have seen your face!” Naruto was still teasing him.

“You,” Sasuke accusingly pointed at the blonde “are weak against Genjutsu!”

Naruto just laughed at that. “I still won! And your reaction was priceless.”

Sasuke huffed, “It was an exercise, no match.” he then said after a pause.

“Does it really matter?” Naruto replied without missing a beat.

Sasuke moved for a mild attack. He’d had enough of talking to this idiot. Naruto was still laughing, but easily blocked. They hadn’t noticed the other two approach and nearly jumped at Kakashi’s “Oi”.

“So, ‘Sexy No Jutsu’ still working wonders I see. Sakura, look how effective it was, he finally gained some colour. Great job Naruto.”

Sakura looked fuming, and as Naruto’s pleased expression grew (he’d just been complimented after all), Sakura’s expression darkened...

“So Teme…”

And there it was, the explosion:

“Naruto! How many times do I have to tell you not to practice that stupid Jutsu! It’s inappropriate and unneeded. I don’t want to see it in training!” She was raising her fist but Naruto was already running away, still laughing. She took after him, leaving Kakashi and Sasuke behind alone.

“Aah, good memories.” Kakashi cryptically said.

00000

A while later, they sat at Ichiraku’s. Naruto was sporting a black eye, but grinning happily despite. Sai joined up and asked ‘Dickless’ if he’d pissed off ‘Ugly’ again. For which he was promptly smacked, too.

“So what did you actually do Naruto?” He asked quietly, later… Sasuke was listening as Naruto ‘whispered’( Well, really it was stage whisper, still quite audible)...

“Sexy no Jutsu… You know, the one that got the ‘Icha Icha Paradise’ banished from Sakura’s home…” Naruto looked around, his eyes catching Sasuke’s. “... oh you haven’t heard that story yet! I’ll fill you in!...”

00000

Sai had just left Shikamaru’s porch, so Shikamaru moved to the training field his team would meet at later. He needed time to think, and cloud-watching was the perfect activity for that. After he’d lain down in the soft grass, he let his thoughts wander to what Sai had reported. And also what the other had said (and didn’t say) about the slave seal’s workings.

Shikamaru had lost his advantage and he knew it. The sudden reappearance of the second Uchiha had taken away the other’s need to communicate with Shikamaru. However, this brother had played into their hands somewhat, though it remained to be seen if Tatakai would go for it.

Shikamaru also knew, if Tatakai decided to become Naruto’s protector and guard, then the position as mission leader would have to somehow be transferred…

Sai was not ideal due to his own background and especially due to his position as slave. Kakashi hadn’t figured out enough yet, and Shikamaru could not tell him unless they wanted to lose what little trust he’d gained from Tatakai.

Sai wouldn’t spill it either: While he’d let shine through that he knew, he hadn’t explicitly said the name. In this case, it might even be that Sai knew more than him, but he wouldn’t truly be able to utilize the knowledge with the seal controlling him.

Which brought him to the issue with Tatakai’s seal. Sai had told him that it wasn’t the same one he had. Yes, it was similar, but there were some crucial differences. Furthermore there was an agreement under slaves not to spill the seals secrets, it was a safety measure. Sai, as Tatakai’s friend would heed this.

However, the slave confirmed that there was a punishment function that would be activated under certain circumstances that he left unexplained. Actually he’d hinted that the seals complex workings were designed to keep a person under subjugation but not to interfere too much with possible duties. 

Another thing he’d specifically mentioned was, that his own seal was a special spin off from the standard seal for slaves, which Tatakai probably had. In fact, Sai’s seal was constructed to support ninja duties, it was just as restrictive, if not more, but in a very different way than Tatakai’s most likely was (Sai didn’t really know, he never had the standard seal).

The whole situation had shifted and what Shikamaru had wanted to create: A somewhat evened agreement to work together, was lost. Shikamaru still held the information of Tatakai’s identity over him, for which the other might, or might not be willing to agree to something to keep it under wraps. However, he had wanted to avoid pressuring the other into doing something forcedly. What little bit of trust he might have gained was still fragile and threats would destroy far more than just that bit of tolerance on the surface.

Quite honestly, if the other really agreed to go protect Naruto, it would be the better solution than what Shikamaru had been trying to build. However, even though this brother was apparently setting Tatakai up against himself instead. It could also just be a safe way of telling him of a chance to reunite. They could never be sure the other wouldn’t turn on them. Slave seal or not.

For all he knew it could be an attempt to get Sai to convey the message and to find a way for Tatakai to signal how to meet. Only the fact that they apparently were Konohanians, and that the message just as easily warned them, let him wonder differently.

00000

Team Seven had a mission in the afternoon. It had been thrown upon them due to the change of weather which made the conditions ideal. While the sun had still been out early in the morning, the sky had considerably darkened over the course of the day and now there was a steady drizzle of raindrops that would occasionally swell to a real shower.

“Weeding the poison garden, how can that be an upper C-Rank? I want some real missions, dattebayo!” Naruto was complaining again.

“Because some plants are toxic in close proximity and that can be very dangerous if one doesn’t know how to handle it. I used to do it alone or sometimes with Shizune or Ino when you were away.”

“But weeding is boring. Why do they suddenly assign it to us, you’ve been doing fine on your own befo...!”

“Let’s just do it!” Tatakai interrupted, hands in his pockets, waiting impassively.

As they entered the garden and Sakura explained how they had to act around the plants Sasuke found himself musing about the prospect of them even letting him come here. He hadn’t had access to poison in years. Half formed thoughts caused pain to spike slightly. A warning not to dwell on these thoughts, these feelings. He knew, and he wouldn’t. He had more important things to think about and anyway, while her behavior was annoying, she was still better than most of his previous masters. Besides that, he’d given up on trying to free himself for the time being and to give it another try right now, was less than ideal with her and the whole situation. Medic nin’s were hard to kill. Especially if he had only very few moments before collapsing from the pain the mere intention caused him.

No, his worry rightnow was to determine if he should follow Itachi’s words. Guard Naruto, protect him from his brother. Or rather keep as far away as possible.

“...Tatakai, are you listening?” He looked up, quickly hiding the startled look. “So you weren’t… Oh well, I know the intro was boring, but please pay attention now. you need to know which plants you should leave alone!” The ease with which she had brushed off his distractedness left him to wonder, but before she could start again, Naruto interrupted.

“Oh, so you hit me when I space off, but he’s getting a nice second chance?”

“Naruto, it’s a constant thing with you…”

“Why would they assign us to the poison garden anyway? This is the first time I even heard we had one and I’m a trusted Konoha Shinobi, unlike he! I’m sure there are teams better suited for this.”

“Because… I, for one, am here to supervise as I know what needs to get done and how… Ino’s group is busy currently… Secondly, you heal like ridiculously fast, which, even if there would be an issue of poisoning because you spaced off, would give you more chance than a regular Shinobi. Tatakai needs to get…”

“Sakura... “ Kakashi interrupted her calmly, silently amused. “He’s just trying to get around the job, so save your breath.” He turned to Naruto. “And you, Naruto, will just be quiet now and get the assignment done.”

Naruto looked ready to whine some more, but surprisingly managed to keep quiet, finally allowing Sakura to go on with her lecture.

“So, as I was saying… This plant over there is ‘Giant Hogweed’, it’s highly phototoxic, which is the main reason we’re here when it rains only. Don’t touch it at all if possible. If it still happens, wash yourself as soon as we’re done and let me check the area. Alright next one: This is ‘Foxglove’ and over there we have ‘Monkshood’. Here we have ‘Yew’ and this is ‘Daphne’. You should be fine as long as you don’t get any part of the plant into your system, but still be careful…” She went on about different plants and pointed out the weed as well, then Sakura assigned Naruto around the giant Hogweed, while the rest of them were free to pick places. They settled into a quiet atmosphere while they worked...

It was the perfect time to get back to consider what he should do. Should he follow Itachi’s words? He knew first hand how powerful his brother was… Naruto would have no chance, or would he? They never had properly challenged each other, and Sasuke hadn’t been willing to go all out, either. Maybe he should… or maybe he should confront Naruto about why his brother might be interested in meeting the blond. How could he get the others to take him on all their missions anyway? They’d never let him do this just because he asked. He was not one of their trusted members. He wasn’t a member of this village at all.. he was just the slave ordered to stay here.

Maybe he should involve Shikamaru, he wouldn’t be surprised if Sai had reported this to someone as it involved a threat towards Naruto, a personal friend of his. Therefore it would only be a matter of time until it reached Shikamaru’s ears that his brother had resurfaced. It would cause a nice dent into the others plans. It would create another imbalance in their agreement, however.

It was weird to think of how safe Sasuke felt with the other knowing his identity as an Uchiha. The Nara had been so insistent to make a deal instead of just turning him in. It gave Sasuke room to argue and time to try to find loopholes. And now, Shikamaru’s influence was waning, Sasuke had heard from his brother without any help from the Nara, and he was glad for it.

Maybe demanding a permanent position on Team seven could further help him wind out of Shikamaru’s grasp. He wouldn’t mind that. It would bear the risk of being around Sharingan-Kakashi on an even more regular basis, though, which would also make it harder to hide.

But he wanted to see his brother, if nothing else. Yes, there were burning questions that demanded an answer, but even if he could just get a visual confirmation that the other was still alive, it would be more than he’d dared to hope for a long time. Maybe he  _ should  _ try to get to know the Dobe…

00000

“So what are you going to do with the money?” Naruto was asking while bouncing alongside Sasuke. They had just gotten out of the mission office and again, without having expected it, he had received a quarter of their earn.

What would he do with the money? He hadn’t really thought about that yet. The last earn was still safely stacked at home, forgotten underneath the sketchbook he had bought.

“I haven’t thought about it yet.”

“You should. I mean you can use all of it for whatever you want pretty much, unlike me, I still gotta pay rent and food with my salary, but anyway. I’m gonna go to the ninja-gear store, I need some things from there… Wanna come?”

After the initial surprise, he found that the idea actually sounded appealing. Even if he couldn’t buy any weapons right now, he could at least look at the prices to know how much he’d need.

He hummed in agreement, then the thoughts returned to the money at home. He should probably get it, just in case. They stopped by Sakura’s apartment and then Naruto was happily babbling about random things on the whole way to the store, Sasuke tuned him out half the time, the other didn’t really seem to mind.

Once in the store, Naruto went straight for the weapons and started to grab things while mumbling...

_ “... throwing stars, wires, this… no... Senbon? not either…”  _ Sasuke went over to a different shelf, close enough to still hear the blond, but not actively being distracted by the others antics.

“Hey Teme, which weapons do you prefer?” he pointed to the wall that had displayed swords, different kinds of shuriken and other arms. Sasuke skimmed over them. He’d need to swing the swords a couple of times and check the material and smithery to really judge their quality, but the price suggested they were alright. He’d also expect that to be the case from a ninja gear store within a hidden village. Though, he preferred swords directly from the forger. It was nothing he could afford, he could still humor the other with an answer though, he supposed.

“Straight swords and Shuriken, Kunai are useful too.”

“A Chokuto? But you’re using a Katana right now...”

“Idiot, It’s not like I was able to choose.”

“Che, calm down, I was just wondering. Chokuto aren’t very common…” Sasuke let his eyes roam over the display further, pausing on the Fuuma Shuriken there. The throwing star had a decimeter of at least two feet when unfolded. It took him back to times where the world had still seemed whole and his brothers watchful eyes still innocent, as he supervised Sasuke’s practice with the weapon in question. Itachi’s had been smaller than this one, so small that he had been able to use it back then, back before his childhood had ended.

“...Tatakai?” Naruto had moved and was looking at him expectantly.

“Hn.” Sasuke caught up, but it was obvious that Naruto had taken note of his spacing off.

“So are you going to buy anything?”

Right, he had forgotten that he wanted to look through the shelves to see if there was anything he’d want to buy. Naruto was patiently busying himself with looking through the shelves himself, so Sasuke went to look for tools that he could afford.

He finally found it hidden on a shelf in the clothing section in form of wide inconspicuous arm bracelets.

“What’s that for?” Naruto asked as Sasuke put them on the counter to pay. Sasuke paid wordlessly and then instead of gracing the other with a reply, he left the store.

“Hey, wait!” Naruto caught up and then they were walking down the street.

“Dobe, eat with us. Let’s spar afterwards!”

“You’re inviting me?”

“Hn”

“Seriously?”

“Hn”

The idiot’s steps were bouncy on the whole way back.

00000

Sakura had been surprised when Tatakai had actually brought Naruto home with him. She could have sworn that the blond annoyed the other enough that he wouldn’t want to be in his presence any longer than he had to. Well, maybe she had misjudged Tatakai’s behavior… Naruto had this way to grow on people.

The blonde had helped the other to prepare the food after disappearing for a short moment. Then, after they had eaten, he placed a bag in front of a perplexed Tatakai.

“I know you don’t have the money and borrowing weapons just sucks. This is what a Genin usually starts out with. Consider it my welcome gift into our team.”

Sakura could see his eyes widen momentarily before he hid the surprise under a blank stare. He rose his gaze to Naruto who returned it expectantly.

“Come on, unpack!”

Finally the one in question slowly raised his hand to the bag, unfolding it carefully. Sakura witnessed how he pulled out a set of Kunai in a leg pocket and the accompanying leg wrap. His lips twitched, but he said nothing as he dug into the bag again to reveal a set of standard Shuriken, a roll of ninja wire, and exploding tags. He carefully set them to the side, ignoring both Naruto and Sakura. He was probably uncomfortable with them watching him. He seemed to have gotten to the bottom of the bag, attempting to dislodge something, when he paused, shifting to look at Naruto. 

“You seemed to like it in the store. I couldn’t afford a Chokuto, and I don’t want to disregard Sai’s present either, so I thought to give you this instead.” Naruto smiled genuinely while Tatakai’s eyebrows furrowed in scepticism.

“Why?”

“Because I understand how it is like… And that’s why I want to be your friend! Now, you mentioned sparring, wanna try these out?”

“Hn”

So that was it? Tatakai hadn’t even said thanks. But for Naruto, the matter seemed closed. Tatakai had returned everything into the bag and was steering to his room. Only after both boys had disappeared Sakura realized, that she hadn’t seen that last present in the bag.

00000

Naruto was currently waiting for the other to get ready. Tatakai had laid out all he had gotten on his bed and was strapping the Kunai holster to his leg. A short moment later, he grabbed one of his suspicious bracelets, laying them out before him.

“So, what are they for?” 

Tatakai shot him an annoyed look while he turned around to get his pen from the drawer. The blond now looked closely to see what the other would do, witnessing as the other started to draw patterns on the floor. The patterns circled the bracelet and the other even went as far as drawing on it. As he went on, it became clear that he was drawing a seal.

Finally the slave laid the pen down and moved his fingers into a series of seals, then slammed his hand flat onto the bracelet. Simultaneously there was a whispered word and the patterns were being sucked into the bracelet below his palm. Naruto stared at the perfectly centered seal that was revealed on the bracelet.

“That was an advanced seal! What’s it do?”

“Weapon storage.”

“Ooh, that’s so cool. I think Tenten uses those, too. It’s like a combination of storage and summoning seals, isn’t it?”

“I just know how to do it. Now let me do the other one.” He grabbed the second bracelet and repeated the whole process. Naruto watched closely this time, curious.

“I was right!” he shouted as soon as the other had removed his hand from the new seal. The other sighed while putting on the first wristband. Following, Naruto witnessed the throwing stars disappearing into seemingly thin air. The Fuuma Shuriken disappeared there as well and then Tatakai finally declared himself ready with a curt nod.

They, or rather, Naruto only, wished Sakura a pleasant evening while they let themselves out.

00000

Naruto was a true chatterbox, as Sasuke newly discovered. The other had apparently read his sealing runes and not only figured out that it indeed was a combination of the sealing techniques he mentioned, but had also deduced that he would not need blood to activate them.

And while that was quite impressive, Sasuke simply didn’t care. Itachi had shown him the technique once and he had copied it with the Sharingan, end of story.

Sasuke lead them to the Uchiha complex, knowing they’d have peace there to do as they pleased. He was curious if he could get the other out of his reserves (though he wouldn’t go full on out since he rather kept his most powerful techniques secret a little while longer).

Turned out he couldn’t. It seemed like Naruto simply enjoyed meeting the level he provided and while they both felt this fight to be closer to the deadly sort than before, it really was still a spar.

The other had no troubles keeping up with the slave’s speed. Sasuke of course wasn’t using his Sharingan and did wonder how that would tip the odds. Despite the apparent idiocy the other displayed most of the time, Sasuke had to admit he was good.

But would it be enough against Itachi? Not even Sasuke’s most powerful techniques had been enough to incapacitate his brother. And he must have gotten better as well in the meantime. Unlike he.

In other words, Sasuke wouldn’t be able to protect Naruto. He might only postpone whatever Itachi would do. Naruto probably wouldn’t have a chance, either, even if he was more powerful than he let on.

Their Sensei seemed competent in his teaching methods, but fighting Itachi was a completely different level. And being a non-Uchiha with the Sharingan had to have its drawbacks.

They moved in a dance. Deadly to the outside eye but just alright for the both of them. Sasuke was pushing possible limits, but Naruto seemed to just get it and so the level increased steadily. It was almost addictive.

Itachi had done this, too, but fighting Naruto was different. It lacked Itachi’s coldness and there were no associations of hatred driving him. Still, he was slowly unveiling Naruto’s strengths and weaknesses. Naruto had a stamina like no other, but appeared to have trouble recognizing even (or maybe especially) simple illusions. He would notice them eventually, but too slow in Sasuke’s opinion. It was quite the opposite from Sakura, which somehow amused him. It would not really matter at all against Itachi’s Kekkei Genkai anyway. Not even he, Sasuke, had a chance as he was now.

It was nice though, fighting Itachi had often felt like the other was just playing with him. Fighting Naruto wasn’t, he was having fun. Yeah, he wasn’t giving it his all either, just like Sasuke didn’t. But the enthusiasm the other put into their fight, opposed to his Nii-san’s cold calculations, was a nice change of routines.

They kept at it, slowly settling into a comfortably interesting level of challenge. Sharing insults and little provocations along the way. It was so exhilaratingly distracting that it took Sasuke a whole while to properly notice the presence that had settled near their clearing. When it fully sank in just whom he could feel standing there, a chilling sensation ran down his arms, he whipped around to face the threat.

“Kisame!” Sasuke spat. “What are you doing here?”

0000000

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got too much to do, barely got around to proof read one final time.  
Final year sucks in some ways, even though I love my job and all, gonna be swamped with studying for the remainder of the school year. plus it's main seasons for the gardeners, now that it's fall. And yeh, warning: All the plants mentioned as such are indeed poisonous, most of them deadly, and thorougly so. On a side note, not everything of yew is poisonous, the one exception is the red, fleshy aril around the seeds, the seeds themselves however hold a high consentration of toxins, so better not let near any mouth, they are just as deadly as the rest of the plant.
> 
> alright, rant and poison-plant lesson over :D Take care!
> 
> and let me know what you think :)
> 
> PS: I'll try to get the next chapter uploaded here in about a week or two. I'll try my best to defeat my studies and get back to proofreading this:D


	9. Interactions

_ “Kisame, what are you doing here?” _

Naruto skitted to an abrupt halt, turning to the cause of interruption. He was lucky to have been on time, Tatakai had barely signaled the stop, no doubt still ready to defend himself, should Naruto have overlooked it.

Quickly assessing the situation, he took note of the fact that Tatakai had addressed the blue-skinned man by name. The way he’d worded his inquiry left no doubt that he knew him. Naruto warily eyed the stranger, who returned the favour by grinning a slightly disturbing smile that revealed rows of sharp, pointy teeth.

“Naruto, come here!” The dark haired boys eyes didn’t leave his acquaintance as he called him over, voice cold and demanding. It only added to Naruto’s suspicions, but he begrudgingly did as told.

“Heard you were close by. So I thought to say hello. You two up for a little spar?”

“No.” Tatakai’s voice was icy. Naruto curiously watched the exchange as he stepped next to Tatakai, who finally turned to look at him, eyes flashing red. 

‘ _ Stay close!...S-Class...Don’t let his sword touch you!...Don’t interfere...’ _

The jumble of information assaulted Naruto’s mind, then the moment was over and the other turned back.

“Why not? You always enjoyed a good fight...” Kisame pointed out.

“Where is he?”

“....or is it that you can’t?...”

“What do you want?” Tatakai continuously grew more irritated.

“Are you two teammates?”

“Cut the crap. Did he tell you to come here? Is he too much of an asshole to face me himself?”

“No, he’s just busy with some other business rightnow. He wasn’t opposed to the idea of me saying hello, though.”

“Alright, you said your hello. Now leave!”

“I think not. I haven’t had a good fight in a while and  _ ‘he’ _ is a pain in the ass about ‘unnecessary’ fighting. I want to train and you are here, so let’s spar. I’ll refrain from leaving any overly visible marks on you, don’t worry.”

“Tell  _ him  _ to keep his lackeys in line.”

“Well, if you don’t want to, then… “ He turned to Naruto, looking at him expectantly, but before he could reply, the other boy had moved in between them.

“Leave!” Kisame grinned, and then moved, fast, as expected of an S-Class. Naruto whirled around to face the threat, but was pushed away as Tatakai stood in between them again, blocking with his practice sword. The blue man chuckled as the other boy jumped back, throwing a kunai to keep Kisame from getting close again.

“Come on, it’s just a spar! I want to see with whom you practice now!”

“You are not welcome here, Tell the asshole to show up himself or leave us the hell alone.”

Kisame ignored that, still laughing, then rose his sword for another swing. Naruto, ignoring the other’s request, multiplied himself and joined the fight. Tatakai cursed.

The attack forced both boys to retreat, leaving deep grooves in the place they had stood just a second before. A Naruto-clone that hadn’t been fast enough poofed out. Another, who had tried to advance from behind was also blocked and quickly destroyed.

This guy was powerful, Naruto had to admit that. He had expected the strength but his bulky form had not suggested the speed he could conjure and it quickly became clear that they were rather being toyed with than battled. He could see Tatakai’s frustration rise quickly, too. The other was still trying to defend him, even though he had no clue which one was the real him out of all those duplicates running around. It put Tatakai on the forefront of the fight and it was obvious that, while he seemed to know the other’s fighting style well enough to be able to almost predict his movements, that he managed just barely.

He, too, seemed to be avoiding touch at any cost, trying to keep his distance. The blue man’s sword moves were full of raw power, delivered in a speed that was challenging to keep up with. Then, at once Tatakai leapt down below the weird sword as it swung at him again, twisting his feet into a kick from under the blade. It barely scratched Kisame’s clothes. The blue man’s laugh was becoming way too familiar.

The stranger took a step backwards, forcing Tatakai to move or be touched by the sword. Instead of risking to be grabbed by the hand that had let go of the sword handle, the boy substituted and reappeared just a few feet away, quickly weaving hand seals.

“Aah, finally getting a bit more serious, I was starting to think you were trying to lose on purpose.” The stranger was smirking, responding with his own seals.

Tatakai started running, still weaving through his seal pattern. Lightning Chakra lit up just short of colliding with Kisame. There was a wave of water and Naruto lost sight of the other, some clones dispelled, giving him limited insight of what had happened. The blue man had moved out of the way just in time and was now swinging his sword again. Seeing that Tatakai was not making much progress, Naruto created more clones to rejoin the fight.

00000

Sasuke was pushing hard, Kisame was still going easy on him and Sasuke knew that he was at a serious disadvantage unless he wanted to announce his identity as an Uchiha. He only dared to use his clan’s Doujutsu fleetingly, he couldn’t risk a Naruto-clone seeing it, but while he was used to not relying on the Sharingan, the fact that Kisame was S-class, could not easily be made up with other skills. Most of his powerful Katon-Justu were linked back to his clan, too, and anything less was too weak to have much effect against Kisame’s Water-Jutsu. And besides that, it was double shitty that Kisame was Itachi’s partner and therefore knew the moves Itachi had passed down on him as well.

Lightning seemed like the best option for direct combat, that and tactical Genjutsu, but he still wasn’t gaining any ground. Naruto clones kept popping up, that was at least helping somewhat. Then again, which one of them was the real thing? He didn’t want to hit the other accidentally.

Kisame seemed to have figured out that Naruto was quite spontaneous, creative in some ways, and very predictable in others. The boy’s Shadow-clone jutsu was, while annoying, a really persistent form of combat and left Sasuke wondering just how deep the other’s Chakra reserves ran. He also contemplated what his brother’s partner was aiming for right now and more importantly, how he could stop the fight before Kisame decided he’d played enough. He honestly could think of only one way to put a stop to this, and he hated the idea of using the slave seal to call for help. He still hoped that Kisame’s Chakra would catch someone’s attention and that they’d come looking. 

Kisame’s speed really made it hard to keep up even just blocking. His practice sword probably wouldn’t take much more. Another Naruto popped into his field of vision, attacking Kisame head on and being bat away as if he was a fly. The idiot’s clone poofed out again.

Then Kisame smirked. He ran, quickly gaining speed and Sasuke warily got ready. The first hit was held off with effort, Sasuke stumbled as Kisame swung his sword back around himself to keep the Naruto’s that had snuck up behind him away. But the next hit came much faster and was barely evaded, another swipe had his sword shudder. The fifth hit made it shatter. It was only a genin practice weapon after all, nothing suited for a real battle, and certainly not against the power of an S-class Missing Nin. Sasuke only had less than half the blade now, and Kisame was already swinging his Samehada again. At a greater speed than before, already so close.

Sasuke sprang back to gain some space, throwing some more Shuriken to keep the other away. That was when Naruto screamed something, Sasuke didn’t dare to turn his gaze away from Kisame, but Naruto came into his field of vision soon enough, running straight towards their opponent, holding a Chakra sphere in hand. Kisame turned towards the other and smirkingly stepped out of the way. Naruto stumbled and slammed his hand towards the ground to stop the monumentum. 

“Now we’re talking!” Kisame commented, while deflecting some of Sasuke’s Kunai. Another group of Narutos prepared for the technique, Sasuke now could make out the name as “Rasengan”. He threw some more throwing stars to keep Kisame occupied, then Naruto started running again.

Kisame turned his head towards Naruto and smirked. The blue skinned man moved his hands as if to create a seal when Naruto reached him and pushed his Rasengan into Kisame’s body.

Naruto stumbled, suddenly wet. “Huh?” Kisame hadn’t dodged. There was a puddle of water on the ground.

Sasuke looked around, trying to find where the real Kisame was lurking around, but he couldn’t sense anyone but Naruto. Kisame was either gone, or had his Chakra veiled. And it didn’t matter as long as they could return back to the busy streets of the Konoha neighborhood unhindered, Kisame would not dare to do anything there, even if he knew where they were. At least Sasuke hoped so, they would not really be able to hide after all, they had places to be.

“Water? A water-clone?” Naruto turned to look at Sasuke, a bit dumbfounded. “We were seriously fighting a water-clone of that guy? Just a water-clone?”

“Hn…” Sasuke straightened, walking over to where Naruto was still kneeling from the fall. He held out a hand. “It seems like it. Come on, let’s go before he decides to play some more.”

“Uh, alright.” Naruto pulled himself up, still looking a bit puzzled, but then, after a few steps his face brightened up. “But I totally got him that second time.”

Sasuke had to repress rolling his eyes. “Dobe! Let’s go back now!” Sasuke fell into a light jog, pulling Naruto along.

“Yeah yeah, always do this, do that, you’re no fun….Hey Teme, let’s at least make it a race!”

“Sure, to Sakura’s apartment.” Naruto took off before Sasuke had finished. Shaking his head, he took after him. There was quite a bit on his mind.

00000

They arrived at the doorstep wheezing for air. Naruto laughed like this had all just been a game, obviously still feeling the adrenaline of fighting and racing. Sasuke was looking around for his key, letting them in a moment later. He went into the kitchen to drink some water. Sakura didn’t seem to be home.

“Sooo, that guy…who the hell was that?” Naruto had his eyes trained on the other, who wasn’t looking at him at all.

“Hoshigaki Kisame, S-Class missing-nin of the Hidden Mist.” The almost bored tone did not match how he’d acted a few minutes ago at all. Naruto found that strange.

“How did you get to know such a guy? We should report this to the Hokage!” That made the other look at him.

“No.”

“Why not?” Naruto questioned, catching on to the slight fear that the other’s voice had carefully concealed.

“There is no need yet. I don’t want to go into interrogation because of this as long as it’s not necessary.”

“You know as a Shinobi that’s kinda what I have to do! It’s my duty.”

“He is my brother’s partner; his team-mate.” His voice was a mix between defensive and hollow. 

“Oh...You got a brother?” Naruto perked up.

“Yeah, I do.” Tatakai pushed himself from the counter moving to the bowl that held the tomatoes, taking one. “Want one, too?” Naruto shook his head and the other moved to sit on a chair.

“So that’s whom you were talking about back then?”

“Yes, look, I need to think about the meeting, I’m trying to figure out what he wanted.”

“Alright do that, I suppose I can wait until tomorrow.” Tatakai nodded, taking a bite from his tomato. They fell silent and each sunk into their thoughts. Naruto got out a glass of milk, drinking it calmly.

After a while, Tatakai spoke up: “You didn’t  _ ‘get’ _ him with your last attack… he let himself be hit.” Naruto looked up, at first surprised that the other had said anything, but then because realization dawned. The other was probably right, even if he had liked to think otherwise.

“What was his aim then?”

“To test the waters probably… Alright, let’s go.” Tatakai got up and left the room and curiously Naruto followed. It was eight, their sparring time had been cut short by Kisame’s interruption, so they’d returned earlier than expected. Why was Tatakai putting his shoes back on?

“So where are we going?”

“Library”

“And what do we do there?”

“Read”

“Why would I do that?”

“You want to be Hokage, right? A Hokage has to be literate.”

“Are you questioning my reading skills now?” Naruto was indignant at the mere thought.

“You know, there’s more than one meaning to the word ‘literate’. One, yes, is ‘being able to read’, the other means being ‘erudite’.”

“What the hell does eru- _ dice _ even mean? And I’ll let you know, I can read just fine.”

“Well, then you’ll have no problem with me testing it, no?.... and to give you a few synonyms...erudite means being cultured, refined, educated.”

“Teme!” Naruto huffed, he knew, he’d just lost the argument and it wasn’t his style to back down from a challenge. He’d just have to wing it, it had worked well enough back in his academy days.

00000

_ "I met your brother,..." _ Sasuke shuddered mentally at the moment he’d heard those words. _ "...he told me to pass a message… He said you should make it your mission to protect Naruto. Precisely to protect Naruto from him." _

Sasuke wondered what to do. Kisame’s appearance had forced the message back to the forefront of his mind. He wanted to see his brother; beat him up for not finding him. He wanted to scream at him for being a shitty brother and not trying hard enough, for not coming immediately when he found out where he had ended up. He wanted to fight all on out as if they’d never been separated at all, he missed not having to hold back in a fight within the safety of the knowledge that his brother had it under control and that his life wasn’t truly in danger; he’d much rather plan half hearted attempts to kill him and find comfort in Itachi’s harsh training and gentle reprimands when he failed… He wanted to have his brother back...

...and the first thing he’d heard of him after three years of nothing?… that they should act on different sides; that the next meeting would not be a reunion.

The message left a bitter aftertaste. Had his brother been serious about him protecting Naruto? He had to be if he just went out and revealed their identity as Uchiha to Sai. It wasn’t a scheme to get them to meet up, was it? This was a warning! And a request.

But why? Why the Dobe? What would anyone want with him? He remembered the blonde vaguely from the past. His orphan status was well known and everyone had avoided him because he’d been very known for pulling pranks and acting like an idiot. He’d meant trouble, everyone knew that. Today he was still a moron, still liked pranking, but it seemed his circumstances had changed. He’d grown up, now had friends and a place in society...

...and then there was Kisame, who had shown up demanding to spar...

Sasuke opened the library door. He knew one thing. Until he had decided what to do with this whole situation, he would not let Naruto out of his eyesight. Hence the current project to keep Naruto occupied and also figure out what would make anyone interested in the Dobe.

Sasuke picked a book from a shelf and quickly leafed through to the intro and first chapter, checking the language level and committing the picture to memory while hiding his eyes behind his bangs. He then pulled Naruto to the back, where they had a couple rooms for privacy, looking for a vacant one. Once inside, he handed the book to the other boy who had followed, looking a bit alienated by the whole matter.

“First chapter, read out loud!”

“Why aloud? this is a library, we need to be quiet. it’s a rule.” Naruto whispered.

“Since when do you care about the rules?” Sasuke smirked at the other’s scowl. “Why do you think I went here? We won’t bother anyone here, they’re pretty soundproof. And I want to hear you say the words so that you don’t skip them. Be glad I’m not making you memorize the text as we go.”

“You’re no fun!” Naruto complained, but finally sat down on a chair, opening the book, then reluctantly his mouth.

“Chapter one: Having covered the purpose of this book, we’ll now take a look at it’s  _ create-frame _ ? .... We will _ take-tune _ ? following...uh, ah…  _ contents _ more closer: First: organisation of table and  _ write-variety-matter-duties -  _ uhm paperwork?, Second: strategies for evaluating mission ranks. Third: keeping track of  _ messenger-utilize-acceptable-talent _ shinobi, fourth: keeping _ scribe-record-protect- _ ...Hell, I don’t even know this kanji, what book is that? Who’d want to read a book like this?”

“You just suck at reading” Sasuke stated.

Naruto loudly dropped the book on the table. “That’s mean!”

“Just honest.”

“What’s the point of this anyway? This book is boring, couldn’t you have picked something more practice oriented?”

“I could have... But if you want to become Hokage, this is most educational for you. This is based on some notes by the fourth Hokage while he was still in training. Now for what the text really said:

_ Having covered the purpose of this book, we’ll now take a look at it’s structure. We will examine following subjects more closely: _

  * _Organisation of desk and paperwork_
  * Strategies for evaluating mission ranks
  * Keeping track of available Shinobi
  * Keeping the archive up to date….

The Kanji you’ve missed can mean  _ pipe, tube, control  _ or  _ jurisdiction _ . The word you’ve tried to figure out is  _ archive _ .”

Naruto was staring at him, mouth wide open. “You… You just recited that from memory?”

“Hn”

“So you read the book before?”

“No, I have photographic memory.”

“Dang, I wish I had that!”

“No you really don’t. Now read the passage again, this time using the actual words, not just the Kanji meanings. And ask if you have trouble remembering, I won’t bite.” 

Naruto complied, grumbling only a little. By the time they finished, they had covered and reread about five pages and Naruto had been complaining about being hungry for at least half the time. He was still reluctant about asking, had tried to get out of reading out loud several times, but after he had realized that Sasuke wouldn’t relent, he just did as asked. The other might be strict but he wasn’t cruel when Naruto got something wrong. Naruto was thankful, even if he didn’t know how to express it.

Sasuke on the other hand was simply wondering how the other had learned to read in the first place. He knew he academy did not provide much help in obtaining that particular skill. It was expected to learn and develop reading skill outside of class. Usually kids learned it at home or were put into classes by their parents or guardians. As far as Sasuke guessed, Naruto had mostly been on his own.

“I’ll cook something once we get home, just let me check out the book.”

On the way home Naruto was strangely quiet, keeping himself busy with kicking a stone in front of him. It took a whole while until he spoke again, voice pensive: “Why are you doing this?”

“... Because I figured that you had trouble reading.”

“That’s not what I meant, and you know it! Though... I am curious about how you found me out.”

“Easy, you act like you just skim the text, which you kinda do with only reading the meaning of Kanji, you know? Then you wait until the others split the tasks and explain it on the way.”

“Ugh, and I thought I hid that well…” Naruto looked a bit put out. 

“I’m pretty sure Kakashi is aware, Sakura I’m not so sure about.” Sasuke smirked and Naruto rolled his eyes.

“You still haven’t answered my first question!”

“Why I did this today?... because your inability to read properly could become a liability. And I don’t want to deal with that when we work together.”

“I can do missions just fine without and you know it! And I’m not as stupid as to believe that this is your real reason. What is your aim? What do you want in return?”

“That is a good question… Stay overnight, I’ll think about it.”

“What the hell” Naruto mumbled, kicking his stone forward.

And Sasuke hoped that that’d shut him up for now… well, it hadn’t, but he mostly ignored the other after that. When they arrived at the door, Sasuke halted, finally looking at him:

“Dobe, about Kisame, don’t mention it to Sakura just yet. Let’s talk it over alone later.”

“Uh, okay?” Naruto looked a bit alienated, but nodded anyway. Only then, Sasuke opened the door to let them in.

00000

Sakura had wondered when Tatakai would return. Lately he hadn’t been leaving notes anymore, rather telling her where he was going and often skillfully skipping for how long he’d be out. She was even more surprised when he returned with Naruto in tow just after ten pm. Seriously, what was it with those two since yesterday.

“Sooo, what will you cook? How long will it take? I’m starving!” Naruto was asking just as they entered the kitchen.

“I’ll reheat some rice, now don’t bother me, or it will take longer.” He pulled out a pan, added some butter and dumped in some rice leftovers that had been sitting in the fridge, once the butter had melted. Soon the delicious smell of fried rice floated through the air, making Naruto even giddier.

“How was sparring?” Sakura asked. They looked quite a bit ruffled, but they weren’t sweaty anymore, so that was weird.

“Oh, we… uhm we didn’t spar all that long… We went to the library instead.”

“You? Library?”

“Yeah, Tatakai wanted to show me a book, actually, we even took it home… tadaa!” He presented her the book. Reluctantly she took it, reading the title and flipping through the chapters quickly.

“That sounds quite dry, are you really going to read it? I mean you usually avoid all written things if you can help it.”

“Eeh, hehe, well, the Teme made it sound useful.”

“Indeed.” Tatakai snorted quietly as he filled three bowls. He handed each their meal, taking the last for himself, then sat down. “About that, we’ll continue in my room after eating. And he’ll stay the night.” 

“What?...” Naruto, who had been about to take the first bite, sputtered. Sakura witnessed Tatakai sending one of his infamous I’m-annoyed glares towards Naruto and to her surprise, Naruto grew beat-red and didn’t say anything else for the rest of the meal (though stuffing food in his mouth might also have been a reason for the silence). Tatakai was a bit more refined in wolving down his food, but it was quite clear that he was hungry as well. It made her wonder what just had happened.

As soon as Tatakai was done he got up to wash the dishes. Naruto wordlessly followed to help dry them. Then, as soon as the blonde had put away the last item, he sent a wide strained grin to Sakura, grabbed Tatakai’s arm and pulled him out of the room. A door slammed closed and Sakura was left to wonder some more.

00000

“What the hell, you were serious with staying the night…” It was a statement, not a question. “You know… I really don’t swing that way, … I mean you’re alright and all, but...I’m not interested... I have my boundaries…”

“Idiot... like I’d want to start anything with the likes of you.”

“... huhh, I’m glad… that would have been like so awkward… But why do you want me to stay here then? You weren’t serious about studying, were you? I really used up all my reading tolerance for the day.” Naruto sat down on the bed and leaned back onto the wall behind it, there just wasn’t anywhere else to sit.

“No, I told you, we need to talk about what happened. Now just let me set some seals in place, I don’t want anyone listening in.”

When he was done, he’d sealed the room off in all directions, locked the door and closed the curtains. Naruto who had been waiting for Sasuke to finish up, now looked at him expectantly as he sat down on the other end of the bed.

“Is there any reason why someone would be interested in you?”

“Why, of course there is! I’m awesome!” Naruto exclaimed, grinning.

“Idiot, I’m serious. Is there anything that someone would or could want from you? Any ability, any leverage, anything?”

“Why do you ask? That’s like a really freaky thing you’re suggesting.”

“I need to know. Kisame was there for a reason, and I doubt it was just to kick our butts. He let himself be hit, so that must mean he has figured out whatever he wanted to know. I want to know what that was…. He knows me, I was not it.”

“Maybe he wanted to confirm it was really you?” Naruto’s sincere tone was irritating.

“No. He could have done that very easily from afar.”

Naruto furrowed his brow, saying nothing. Sasuke got the impression that he was literally closing up. Then he grinned his annoying smile.

“Maybe he really just wanted to see you!?”

“Baka, I’m serious. I know the guy. Is there anything that would attract the attention of an S-Rank missing-nin?” Naruto avoided his gaze, fidgeting with his hands, twisting some fabric between his fingers.

“Fine, don’t tell me.” They were quiet for a couple of minutes, Naruto yawned after a while..

“So, what is it really that you want to accomplish by helping me?” He asked.

Sasuke looked up. “I told you. For now: Stay overnight, I’ll think about it.”

“Ah well then, I’ll take the couch, good night.” Naruto got up, shrugging his shoulders..

“You can take the bed.”

“No way I’m kicking you out of your own bed.” 

Sasuke glared at him. “Take it, or I’ll follow you to the couch and sleep on the ground there.”

“And if I sleep here, you’ll take the couch?” Naruto argued, not willing to give up so easily.

“No, I’ll sleep here, on the ground.”

“You know, this is getting creepy.”

“Deal with it… Now let’s get ready for bed.”

Naruto hogged the bathroom first, glad that the other didn’t insist in following him even there. While he stood under the shower he found himself thinking: Even though the other’s behaviour was pretty strange and really bordered on being creepy, it wasn’t actually all that bad. Naruto could feel no ill intentions coming from him. He was pretty sure that there was a personal reason involved, but he felt like this was something he did to protect him, not to bring any harm. And that feeling was kinda nice.

Additionally, this was finally a person in the village that knew nothing about how people treated him. Tatakai was direct and honest in critique. And for some reason he took some time today to help him. Naruto knew he wasn’t good at that stuff. He knew it was because no one had ever taken the time to actually teach him to read and he wondered if Tatakai had guessed that. He should probably review the pages before sleeping, not let this kindness go to waste by forgetting what he learned.

He brushed his teeth, then let the other have the bathroom for himself and wishing Sakura a good night. Back on the bed, he opened the book and tried to read through the pages they had covered once more, only to find that he couldn’t really focus at all.

Besides the fact that him having the Kyuubi was still a state secret, he really didn’t want the other to know about it, anyway. It was nice to be taken as  _ just _ him and he prefered it right now. The other might act like a jerk, but today had only furthered his convictions in believing that he was actually quite decent. The other was definitely paranoid, though. A paranoid guy with trust issues, apparently trying to guard him, haha.

“I thought you said you’ve read enough for today?” The other had appeared in the doorway, rubbing his now wet hair with a towel, also dressed for bed. “Come on, put the book down and go to sleep.” The other closed the door, went over to the closet to pull out some stuff from the shelves, namely some kind of blanket and additional clothing to polster the ground with, then sat down against the wall next to the door, getting comfortable.

Naruto put the book away and turned off the light. It was very quiet and while he was tired, his mind was still actively thinking, contemplating, well, this:

“….Are you afraid I’ll take off in the middle of the night?”

“No.” The clear voice indicated that the other was just as awake as he.

“Why else did you press for us to stay in the same room?”

“I’m not taking any chances.” Somehow in the darkness his the voice carried over much better, somehow louder, even though they weren’t talking loud at all. 

“Isn’t it uncomfortable to sleep like that?”

“I’m used to it. Now go to sleep.” Naruto groaned but decided that it was probably not worth trying to get the other to talk if he didn’t want to. He’d better just get some sleep.

00000

When the blond had finally shut up, Sasuke used the peace to think. He’d need to have a solution ready by morning, and he intended to do just that.

He knew, it wasn’t realistic to be able to be around the other 24/7, except if they went on a mission, which he doubted they’d let him take part in. That was probably the biggest issue. The chances that someone would make a move against Naruto while he was still in Konoha were slim, though one never knew with Itachi. And at least half their missions were outside the village borders. They probably wouldn’t let him tag along and he couldn’t leave the village thanks to the slave seal, either. At least not very far and not without a hell-of-a-lot of pain.

In addition to that, he was still in hiding, not able to use his potential to its fullest. Kisame had nearly forced him, and he wasn’t sure if he’d have risked it.

Ideally he’d move in with Naruto, but again, he had no say, being Sakura’s slave. The most he could possibly do is convince Naruto move in with him and share this room. He had the feeling that Naruto wouldn’t agree to a somewhat permanent living arrangement between them as easily as he had to sleeping here tonight. And that was probably still the least of his problems.

He could maybe demand that as long as he was tutoring Naruto, be it reading or possibly Genjutsu and other Ninja arts, that this living arrangement be his payment, and that he’d go everywhere the other went. Naruto being the prankster he was, would find a way to slip past him though, especially if he couldn’t see any reason as of why he shouldn’t.

Sleeping arrangements within Konoha still wouldn’t cover the missions out of the village and those were the ones where Naruto most likely would be targeted. Those were the ones, where the chance to meet Itachi again were the highest. He really had to figure a way to get out of here with Team seven.

Shikamaru was another issue. Sasuke didn’t trust the other to not have talked, even though it appeared that way. He didn’t know how much, but Shikamaru was obviously keeping an eye on him. And now that Sasuke had had word from his brother without Shikamaru’s involvement, the deal was crumbling. Though how long it would take until Shikamaru realized that, remained to be seen.

Sai, the messenger, the fellow slave, might have passed on the message to others, too. He was a Konoha Shinobi, loyal to Konoha, friend and teammate of Naruto, who had been threatened. It might very well be that they’d corner him about that eventually. Especially if the encounter with Kisame became known.

Sasuke knew that his situation was delicate and that he had no chance in controlling all aspects. It might just be easier to reveal himself as Uchiha Sasuke, son of Fugaku, but he really didn’t want to do that. He didn’t want to expose himself, nor did he want to expose Itachi, despite hating him with passion rightnow. It would only lead to trouble. And quite possibly a lot of interrogation.

However, he knew that they’d want to know why he wanted to join Team Seven and to go on missions outside of the village with an unknown like him was a big risk on their part. He had no idea on how to convince them for that. He had nothing to offer except information that he wasn’t willing to share.

He was pretty sure that his attempts to tutor Naruto would not be enough to “prove” his loyalty and for good reason. Even though this was his place of origin, he did not see all that many reasons to be loyal for. He prefered to make his decision based upon his own judgement, he preferred not to engage himself with matters that had nothing to do with him. Really, he was only contemplating it because Itachi had told him to protect the blond. And he still had no idea why anyone would be interested in the idiot.

With the way Naruto had acted, Sasuke was pretty sure that the other might actually know some possible reasons, but it was clear that he wasn’t willing to share them, either.

So, what to do?

He’d definitely need to talk to Shikamaru. If anyone could get him a spot on Team Seven’s out-of-village missions, it was probably him… The question was just at what price!?

With Naruto, he would probably try to make out a deal for now. If the living arrangement didn’t work out, then at least he’d get Naruto to show him how to do the technique he’d used against Kisame.

He vaguely thought about telling Naruto about the message, but for now, that seemed avoidable, so he decided he’d wait with that for at least a little while longer. Maybe he should warn him about Itachi though. The _ run-on-sight _ kind of warning….

His eyes drooped for like the seventh time. At this point it was probably better to sleep first and concern himself with the details later and so he finally let himself drift off.

00000

Kisame was sitting in the hideout, drinking tea and waiting for his partner to show up. When Itachi finally did so, he offered him a cup, refilling his own as well.

“I used the time to meet your little brother, just as I said I would.” Itachi nodded, waiting for him to continue. “Sasuke wasn’t pleased to see me at all. He called you an asshole and accused you of having sent your ‘ _ lackeys _ ’ instead of facing him yourself.”

Itachi’s lips twitched to a tiny smirk. “Hn.”

“We sparred, though he was rather unwilling. His skill really has declined a bit.”

“Was the Naruto-kid around?”

“Indeed, they were sparring together. Your brother’s reaction at me turning up there was quite interesting by the way. It almost seemed like he was trying to protect the other. And he was actively trying to get me to leave them alone.”

“hmmm, that is interesting indeed. Any idea as of why?”

“Maybe they’re friends. I don’t know. Anyway, I sparred a bit with the target. His signature move is indeed the shadow-clones. He seems to have mastered the Rasengan to a certain degree, too. I let my water-clone be hit, it’s quite powerful.”

“Something to watch out for, then. My intel says he’s also known to be a famous prankster here, he’s most likely quite resourceful in spontaneous situations. And he’s well liked under his peers.”

“He’s probably trying to befriend the bundle of joy you call brother.”

“Indeed, he might be. My foolish little brother has been awfully resistant against any attempts to get him more social though, so who knows?” Itachi took a long sip from his cup.  “What did they do when your clone burst?”

“They raced back to Konoha, went into an apartment under the name Haruno Sakura and left for the library not soon after. They were still there when I decided to leave. I suppose the one we met, spoke the truth about Haruno Sakura being his owner, seeing that Sasuke had the key to the apartment. What are you going to do, now that you found him?”

“As for right now? Nothing much. He’s still angry at me, and as long as he’s stuck inside of Konoha, there’s not that much he can do, even if he manages to gain Naruto’s trust. I’m looking forward to see how things develop, now that you confronted him, but let’s discuss this tomorrow.  I’m turning in for the night.”

00000

A hollow sound shocked Sasuke out of sleep and while he regained his senses, he noticed that he wasn’t curled on the ground of his cell, back in the slave house, but rather on the ground in his room at Sakura’s apartment, right next to the door. The curtains were drawn… right, he’d drawn them to talk to Naruto in private last night. It also explained why he hadn’t woken up. There was another knock.

“Tatakai? It’s nine AM. and Shikamaru is here to talk to you.”

Sasuke could now hear the other waking up, too. After a moment of stretching his limbs into all directions from under the cover, Naruto sat up, looking fairly disoriented. 

“Shikamaru’s here?”

“Not for you.” Sasuke replied, irritated, but he finally pulled himself up, going over to the shelf to get dressed. Naruto watched, still a bit sleepy and unaware. Sasuke left the room to go freshen himself up in the bathroom and just maybe, also hide a bit longer. He hadn’t planned on talking to Shikamaru first thing in the morning. He’d wanted to settle things with Naruto first, but he couldn’t do that now. Another ’ _ Tock Tock’ _ . What was it with people knocking on doors today?

“Could you hurry up?” That was Naruto. Oh well, he’d have to decide on the spot how to deal with all this. He opened the door and soon found Shikamaru and Sakura at the kitchen table, drinking tea. He scowled and stiffly nodded towards Shikamaru in greeting.

“So, Sakura tells me that you’ve made friends with Naruto!”

“Hn”...  _ let them believe what they want. _

“I see. Well, let’s go to …”

“My room.” Sasuke cut him off just as Naruto entered the kitchen.

“...Hi Naruto. The Hokage requested your presence in her office.”

“Oh, alright, I’ll be on my way then, bye.” Naruto was about to duck out of the door frame when Sasuke spoke up.

“Dobe, find me after you’re done.”

“Will do!” he replied easily and then was gone. Sasuke turned back to the talk at hand and the Nara picked up the conversation as soon as their eyes met.

“I was thinking of going to my house for a game of Shogi.”

“My room is closer, let’s get it over with.”

Shikamaru got up. “Alright, lead the way.” Sasuke did just that and while he checked all the seals to ensure they were still active after he’d locked the door, Shikamaru looked around. 

“You can sit on the bed.”

The item in question was at one side of the room, in the corner, the headboard and one side against the wall, there was a dresser beside the bed and on top of it lay the fabric arm protectors he had seen Tatakai wear before. Shikamaru went over to the bed to sit down on one end, cross legged. 

“You decided to soundproof your room?” He stated.

“Hn”

“Oh well, there are a few things I wanted to talk to you about....” Sasuke nodded, already having guessed that much. “...I heard about your little stay in the hospital.” Oh shit, he’d totally forgotten about that.. Luckily he’d had a lot of practice at keeping a straight face. 

“So?” Sasuke coldly regarded him, hiding any reaction of having been caught off guard.

“Kakashi’s theory is that it was caused by the slave seal.”

“So?”

“I asked Sai about slave seals. He said that it might have been an activated punishment, he wouldn’t tell me how it works though.”

“It’s an agreement amongst slaves to keep the experienced functions and their workings a secret.” Tatakai said as if it was an obvious fact.

Shikamaru nodded, then continued after a pause: “Do you want to be an active Ninja?”

“What are you getting at?”

“Well, do you?” The other asked and Sasuke very much wanted to dodge the question. He didn’t like the direction this conversation was taking at all.

“Explain what you mean!” He knew the questions weren’t random, no matter how much they seemed to be. Shikamaru appeared bored, uncaring and that made Sasuke even more wary, though he knew it was normal behavior with the Nara.

“Having a reason to utilize your skill. Being able to practice and use those skills. Do you want that?”

“Do you have any idea what being a slave can be like?” Anger was stirring in him.

“I got some theories.”

“Then you know the answer.” Sasuke bit out.

“Glad we cleared that up, because you’ve got a problem: As long as they don’t know what caused it, you won’t be able to go on any serious missions, they won’t risk others having to risk themselves to save your hide because you’re not trusting them with your weak spot.”

“It won’t happen on a real mission.”

“And how do you prove that?”

“It is very unlikely....”

“I think you’re grabbing for straws.” Shikamaru calmly said and Sasuke realized that some kind of trap had shut... forget the crumbling deal, Shikamaru had found a great way to corner him and subtly, too. Sasuke scowled. This was going into the exact opposite direction than he had intended to argue about with Shikamaru, and not for the reasons he had anticipated and prepared for. He was fighting a losing battle, he’d never get a spot on Team Seven if… a thought came to him:

“If I tell Sakura, and I’ll tell only her because she’s the only one that would need to know, can you get me cleared for missions outside the village and a permanent spot on Team Seven?”

“Why would you want a spot on a team with the person that’s most likely to set off that punishment function that everyone is worried about? Why not just suggest working on a different team to avoid the matter?” As Shikamaru spoke the words, Sasuke realized that another little trap had snapped shut. Sasuke glowered at the Nara, who seemed as passive as ever. It pissed him off. Then Shikamaru leaned back against the wall and continued in the same slightly bored manner: 

“Actually I could also provide you the answer to that. They can’t trust a stranger with unknown intentions.” Sasuke grit his teeth, he knew that.

“Your know-it-all demeanor does not help anyone in the least here.”

Shikamaru graciously ignored the comment and continued his argumentations:

“I might be able to argue in your favor to join my team. The Hokage would trust my judgement, she might let the knowledge gap slide since I can assure her that I do know enough about you to be able to handle it. Just be prepared to be killed on the spot if we get any evidence of your betrayal.”

“Is this based on the concept ‘keep your enemies closer’?”

“No, this is simply an offer. It might be your only way to keep dodging these things.. I mean, I’ve seen you’re a good fighter, if we ever do a mission alone together, especially out of the village, you could unleash your full potential much more often than you’ll be able to around people that don’t know about your identity.” Sasuke found himself actually considering it. This was tempting. And he’d have a lot more leeway in certain aspects.

However it wasn’t what his brother had asked him to do. Kisame’s appearance had made the whole request more real, more urgent. And he wanted to meet his brother, if nothing else, to make sure he really still was alive to hate for what he’d done, he didn’t want to content himself with secondhand knowledge, he wanted the real thing.

“No, I want to be on Naruto’s team.” Sasuke forewent to mention that it also would be safer to have Sakura close in case the slave seal acted up for reasons he hadn’t anticipated.  _ That  _ argumentation would not be advantageous if he’d ever want to team up with Naruto alone.

“Why?” Of course that question had to come.

“He… I…”

“Why do I feel like you’re about to think up a lie?” Sasuke suppressed a glare and tried to gather his thoughts, this time more calmly.

“I only ever really partnered with my brother. I’m willing to partner with Naruto, I don’t know why, but it has to be him.”

“I can’t offer you a spot on a team that I’m not part of. And I can’t support you based on nothing. You have to choose which you want more and see how you can make it work.”

“As I said, would you support me if I told Sakura about the slave seal?”

“Yes, but it won’t be enough.”

“What do you want me to do? Is there any way for it to be enough?”

“That is a good question, try me.”

Sasuke sighed.

“What do you want to hear? That I’ll give you my real name? That I face interrogation about the events of my family’s destruction? That I’ll swear to serve Konoha? That won’t be enough, would it?”

“I’d like to hear the real reason why you fixate on Naruto, because that’s where I think the potential lies.” Shikamaru looked at him tiredly. “well, think about it alright?”

He then pulled out something from his uniforms breast pocket, holding it loosely in his hand. Sasuke didn’t see what it was, but it looked a bit like photographs. “As promised, I checked Sakura’s papers for any clues on your brother, you were right about his code…”

00000

Naruto dashed into the Hokage building, then impatiently waiting at the door to be invited in. He hadn’t eaten yet and was hungry, but you didn’t ignore a Hokage’s summoning, so he was standing here.

Luckily he didn’t have to wait for all that long. Tsunade looked as fresh as ever and came right to the point. “Naruto, you spent quite a bit of time with Tatakai, didn’t you?”

Naruto looked at her surprisedly. “Yes!?”

“Well, what do you think of him?”

“Uhm. He’s quite alright, he’s actually trying to help me improve my reading skills now. He’s got his quirks and he seems a bit paranoid, but that’s alright. And he’s a great fighter.”

“Interesting. Well, did any of his behavior change in the last 24 hours?”

“Uhm, yes…. how do you know?”

“How did it change?”

“Well, uhm, last night after sparring together he dragged me to the library to read, then he wanted to sleep in the same room as me…. this morning I got summoned by you and he told me to come talk to him after I’m done here.”

“Interesting…alright moving on to another subject: There was intel that you might be in danger.”

“What? Why?”

“We don’t know, we don’t know how serious to take it yet, but you should definitely know about it. I will arrange for training sessions for you.”

“What did it say?”

“It was coded, we’re not sure what exactly it means yet, it wasn’t addressed to us, but one possible interpretation is that you’re in danger. If you see this guy here:” She held out her Bingo book. “You should retreat and run… Naruto?”

00000

“So? What did you find out about him? Where is he?” Sasuke acted, putting a tiny bit of concern into his voice, just enough to make it believable.

“I didn’t get around to seek out any slave houses yet.” Shikamaru lazily said, letting his hand sink into his lap, covering whatever he had taken out of his breast pocket. 

“Then why are you telling me this?” Sasuke’s voice turned accusatory.

Shikamaru barely shrugged.“I just thought you’d want to know.”

Sasuke glowered but didn’t say anything.

“How did you get separated anyway?” Shikamaru easily inquired.

“None of your business!” Sasuke bit out in response, turning away from the other and crossing his arms. He didn’t want to think of  _ that _ . They fell silent and Sasuke, by now, was just hoping that Shikamaru would finally leave. But he didn’t and so Sasuke leaned back at the wall to contemplate what he was going to do, he needed the other’s help. Slowly he was forming some semblance of a plan.

Shikamaru did not let him, instead he suddenly moved to hand him what he’d held in his lap. It was a photograph…. of Hoshigaki Kisame. Sasuke’s eyes widened slightly in surprise. Kisame was younger on there and Sasuke had a suspicion that this was out of a bingo book entry. This started to look like...

Shikamaru didn’t say anything though, he seemed to wait for him to react instead.

“Why are you showing me this?”

He held out another one. This one was an academy class picture.  _ Their _ academy class picture. Sasuke decided to play it off and just look at him questioningly.

“I think you know why.” He turned over the final picture he had been holding. This one clearly was worse quality, It looked like Shikamaru had taken a picture with a camera from the Academy’s “Hall of Fame”. He recognized it, having committed it to memory when he’d seen it a few weeks ago.

“I asked Sai about your brother’s approximate age, then I went to search, since at least one of you must have had academy training. Seems like you and I even were in the same class…” Shikamaru smiled faintly. “ and I know you remember because I saw you looking at these, back when I saved you from Iruka at the Academy.”

Sasuke was livid, he could barely keep a calm tone. “So Sai spilled!?”

“What did you expect? Naruto got threatened...”

Sasuke suddenly felt tired. It seemed that all his attempts at keeping anything secret were failing. Shikamaru wasn’t done yet, though.

“... No one knows your or your brother’s names yet, though, so don’t worry. Sai can’t talk about that and I won’t unless I have a reason.”

“Why can’t Sai talk about it?” 

“Because a seal prevents him from even trying. His slavery is a little different from yours, I don’t know the specifics, but it’s designed to support his Ninja duties.”

Sasuke took in the information, filing it away for later. This was bad.

“ You want me to spill.” He spoke with dread.

Shikamaru didn’t nod, instead he voiced another question, calmly, almost gentle:

“What awaits Naruto if he faces them?” 

“How the hell should I know what my brother is planning, I haven’t seen him in three years!”

“Of course you wouldn’t. I meant strength-wise.”

Sasuke mirthlessly chuckled at that. 

“He’d have no chance. They’re both S-Class. I don’t have a chance against either of them, and I know their fighting style well.”

“What would you do if you face your brother, if you stick close to Naruto, you might meet him, won’t you?” Sasuke forcefully kept himself in check. He was starting to really loathe Shikamaru right now. He realized, all these questions before had been building up to the reveal that Shikamaru actually knew about Sai’s message. He’d been testing him the whole time, interrogating him. But Sasuke remembered Kisame’s sudden appearance, that had been the moment he knew Itachi had been serious. If they already knew, he might as well explain what he thought of it, though the thought hurt.

“His message warned you all. I’m sure he intended that to be the case. In addition to that, I can’t just run off, I’m a slave, my brother knows that. He told me to make it _my_ _mission_ to protect Naruto, _from him_!” Sasuke shuddered inwards, but forced himself to continue. “ My brother said this for a reason and I can’t ignore it. It’s a warning for you, a request towards me. My brother wouldn’t have bothered with this in advance, had he not wanted me to…”

Shikamaru patiently waited for Sasuke to find words. He saw that Sasuke, in some ways was breaking. He’d obviously not talked about this to anyone, and now that the dam broke, he probably couldn’t hold back any longer. 

“...I don’t know why they want Naruto… I want to know why my brother plays double-agent here… I just want to see him… even if it’s on opposing sides… Just, let me do this!... I know how they fight, I can teach Naruto…” He trailed off, staring into space, he’d pulled his knees close and wrapped his arms around loosely in an attempt to stay still, he knew he looked shaken anyway. 

“Alright, I’ll see what I can do. But as I said, it’s not my team. Kakashi is Team Seven’s Captain. If he can’t trust you, you’re not going anywhere, and he is suspicious.”

“Fine, I’ll talk to them.” His voice was smaller than he liked.

Shikamaru nodded, pleased, then finally got up. “I think we’re done here.” But Sasuke’s voice, in a moments decision, stopped him:

“Kisame was here yesterday, he forced Naruto and I to spar…. I just thought you should know.” Shikamaru searched out his eyes, then nodded, unlocked the door and quickly left.

00000

“...Naruto?” Naruto was still staring at the Bingo-book entry, face slightly ashen.

“Uhm, Baa-chan…. I already met this guy, well his water-clone….uhm yesterday. We sparred and Tatakai was trying to protect me.” Tsunade’s eyes widened.

“Naruto, why didn’t you report this?”

“Well…” Naruto scratched his neck. “Tatakai knew the guy and though he warned me of him, he also told me to not tell Sakura just yet… Then he took me reading and everything and it just kinda slipped my mind.”

“Next time, report something like this immediately… Shizune?... Send for Kakashi…” She called out, then turned back to Naruto. “This is serious. Kakashi will bring you home… Now wait in the room outside.”

It took about fifteen minutes until someone knocked at her door and Shikamaru let himself in, skipping the pleasantries he got right to the point. “I deem him safe. He also just reported to me that Hoshigaki Kisame challenged him and Naruto to a spar.”

“I just heard about that from Naruto.”

“He intends to follow his brother’s words, even though he doesn’t know why his brother told him to do what he did. He understands the situation he’s in and he’s agreed to take measures to actually be able to join Team Seven, since he apparently wants to guard Naruto. I told him he needs to convince Kakashi to join Team Seven permanently. Once Tatakai manages that, I’m turning this mission over to Kakashi.”

“Good, inform me of any changes.”

There was another knock and this time it was Kakashi. Shizune quickly let him in and Shikamaru out. “Naruto needs to be guarded, he also needs further training. He’s in danger and while we don’t know why they target him, we do know they’re S-Class missing nin… one being Hoshigaki Kisame.”

“I’ll put a training concept together, I’ve wanted to start him on changing chakra nature anyway. And he always works better when there is pressure.” She nodded in agreement to that.

“Also, Tatakai wants to join your team. He has to earn your trust, but know, he could be a worthy asset. He knows who it is that targets Naruto personally and is willing to work against them. Naruto is waiting outside to be brought home.” She sighed. “That is all, you’re dismissed.”

00000

On his way home, Shikamaru picked up a thought trail that the talk with Tatakai had touched upon. The other, not knowing Sai’s background, had made him explain why Sai couldn’t talk about it. Indeed, why? As far as Shikamaru knew, it only happened when Danzo was involved. So, what did Danzo have to do with the Uchiha’s demise?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait, and thanks to all those who support me by leaving kudos, bookmarking, and/or commenting.
> 
> I hope you enjoyed this chapter as well :)
> 
> Updates, I don't know. I'll just try to do it soonish! I got the next chapter written up already, but I want to revise it one more time before posting... and I'm trying to get somewhere with the chapter I'm currently working on too ;)


	10. Roomies?

“Ah, Kakashi, thanks for dropping me off.” Naruto grinned.

“Actually, I’ll come in and say hello.” Kakashi quickly closed the door to Sakura’s apartment complex.

Having arrived at the door of her abode, Naruto, instead of knocking, just pressed the door handle down, seeing if that would let them in. Much to his delight, the door indeed wasn’t locked, and so they snuck in to see if they could surprise anyone.

It seemed both occupants were still home and apparently discussing something. Curious, Naruto snuck closer.

_ “... on his own for forever and we don’t have the space... _ ” That was Sakura. “ _ Why are you so adamant about this anyway? You didn’t seem to—” _

_ “They’re here,” _ Tatakai interrupted.

An awkward silence followed.

“Why don’t you come in?” Sakura reluctantly called out.

Having been found out, they did.

Kakashi got straight to the point. “Naruto isn’t to be alone for the time being. Sakura, Tatakai, I trust you not to let him out of your eyesight until I’m back. I need to run a few errands.” He quickly ducked out of the apartment, ignorant of Naruto’s groan.

“Naruto? What is going on?” Sakura looked questioningly at Naruto, who sheepishly rubbed his neck.

“Aah, well… uhm…”

“We had a run-in with an acquaintance of mine yesterday. One that might quite possibly mean Naruto harm.” Sakura had turned to Tatakai, looking at him with big eyes, their discussion from before suddenly starting to make sense. “I’ll share my room. He can even have the bed.”

Now it clicked for Naruto, too. “What? Hey dude, no; we need to talk, like, right now!” He spiritedly stepped forward, grabbing Tatakai’s arm to drag him off.

“Naruto, we’re in the middle of a conversation!” Sakura reprimanded.

“Yeah, apparently about me moving in without even asking me if I wanted to! That’s not okay, so I need to talk this over with the Teme alone! I know it was his idea.” 

Said one had winded out of Naruto’s grasp, glaring at the other, hiding his relief behind an annoyed facade. Naruto grabbed him again before Sakura could disagree and he let himself be pulled into his room where Naruto quickly barricaded the door.

“We really need to talk!”

“Hn.”

“Teme, I’m serious. You can’t tell Sakura I’ll be living here when you haven’t even asked me about it. Tha-”

“I wasn’t telling her; I was trying to get her permission!”

“Ah, well great. Because that’s such an awesome idea. You know what? I’ve lived on my own since I was very little, and I like my own space when I’m not on missions. Plus, Sakura and I have fairly different views on how to keep house. And she even forbids me to stack any Ramen here. How am I supposed to survive?”

“I’m sure we could work out something with her, and I already have the order to clean the apartment. You wouldn’t have to do it.”

“Yeah, if I lived here, that would be the first thing to change! I don’t like this slave business and I know Sakura doesn’t, either. But, that’s not the main issue… Why do you even want me to live with you?”

“You are in danger.”

“Yeah, thanks, I gathered as much. But I’m still not buying all the ‘I care’ crap you’ve got going right now. You don’t even like me! Nor do you sincerely care about Sakura, you don’t even try to hide it. So quit bullshitting me!”

“Hn…” Apparently Tatakai found that an appropriate response, crossing his arms in front of his chest, leaning against the door.

“You’re not even saying anything in your defence? What’s wrong with you?”

Tatakai only answered after another moment had drifted by. “Would you believe anything I said at all?”

“Depends if I feel that what you say is really honest. I don’t want to live with someone I can’t trust. People don’t suddenly do things for your benefit, there’s always a hidden agenda when that happens. I’m sick of this shit. I don’t need that in my down-time. I’d love to be your friend, but you’d have to let me be a  _ friend _ , not a  _ charge _ . I’m old enough and strong enough to hold my own. And you don’t know what I’m capable of anyway!”

“You describe my reality, but you at least have a team and a leader that you can trust. I have neither.”

“Well, if you’d let us get to know you, we might offer some trust eventually. Ever thought about that?”

Tatakai mirthlessly chuckled at that. “Dobe, you realize that it isn’t that simple, don’t you?”

“Why can’t it be, Teme?”

“No one here is willing to trust me. They’re all playing games. And since I’m a slave bound by a seal, if anyone decides to turn on me, I’m at their mercy. This is not about friendship, this is about being an unknown with ninja abilities in a village run by ninja. And I don’t want people digging up my past.”

“Oh.” Naruto averted his gaze. “I hadn’t thought of that.” 

“And  _ you  _ want to be Hokage one day?”

“Well, yeah! Believe it!” Naruto exclaimed.

00000

“Because when I explain, I could be twisting things to suit my purposes, instead of being honest.” Sasuke had no idea how they’d ended up in this ridiculous argument. He’d expected to be accused, to be interrogated (though probably with questionable technique; this was Naruto after all). Instead, they’d ended up in almost friendly banter for several minutes. 

“So what? If I feel like there’s something fishy and can’t make the connection myself, I can still ask someone else for a second opinion.”

Sasuke shook his head in disbelief at Naruto’s easy-going nature. “Whatever,” he grumbled, then finally sat down on the bed in anticipation of a possibly longer discussion. Sometimes Naruto was very perceptive, so much so that at other times, Sasuke wondered if the other was just acting dumb. The discussion had somehow been turned towards arguing why Sasuke could possibly be dangerous, and he really wondered what the other was trying to accomplish with it.

Naruto had followed his example, sitting on the bed cross-legged and looking at him expectantly.

“I’m not one of your trusted ninja. In fact, I’m an outsider with ninja abilities obtained by an unknown source. It’s a question of loyalty.”

“I’d say you’re doing pretty well with that. You’re not trying to grease your way in, you’re not offering any intel... but you’re not trying to get us to spill the beans, either. That’s what I initially liked about you, too. You were so resistant. You seemed to only want to be left alone because you  _ were _ alone. And you’re not even trying to get out of your status as slave… which by the way, I don’t understand _ at all _ .”

It was rather funny how Naruto was trying to reassure him, but seeing as it gave Sasuke more time to think about what to do, he went along with it for now.

“It could be part of my cover?”

Naruto vehemently shook his head. “Nah, I don’t think so. But really, how is slave life? I know you haven’t lost yourself like Sai had, that must mean something. Don’t you want to get free?”

“What do you think?”

“Uhm, well, uh... how should I know?”

“That was a rhetorical question, idiot,” Sasuke said with a pointed glare. “I’ve tried plenty of times. All it does is knock me out. So for now, I’m biding my time.”

“That sucks.” Naruto looked at him sympathetically. “Maybe we could talk to Sakura.”

“No.” 

“Why not?” Naruto asked.

“Because if I go around asking to be free, people will trust me even less. Besides, when people go buying slaves, there’s usually a reason for it. This situation is complex enough without adding to it.”

Naruto shrugged his shoulders, for once staying quiet. Sasuke remembered how the other day, Naruto had almost walked out on him when he hadn’t been forthcoming with his explanation. Naruto seemed content to stay right now, but Sasuke was painfully aware that the other had not yet agreed to do so permanently. He’d have to explain himself to gain the other’s trust.

“Look, I…” Naruto finally began, “...I appreciate your help for learning to read properly—”

“I’m not going to ask you to live here as payment, it wouldn’t work,” Sasuke cut him off. He’d played with the thought, but he knew Naruto would just slip out through some backdoor if he wanted to leave, metaphorically speaking. Naruto was too much of a free spirit to be held down by a mere agreement. He needed a reason. He needed facts.

“Good,” Naruto carefully spoke, once again falling silent, still waiting for an explanation.

“Hn...” It was not easy to find a start. He’d stayed quiet about all of his background for so long, it was strange to even consider putting it into words. And while he had thought about it a bit more before confronting Sakura about the living situation, he still wasn’t sure how to convey the reasoning behind it to Naruto. The other seemed to sense this and stayed quiet, waiting. Finally, Sasuke decided on a wordless approach to get things rolling, getting somewhat agitated at the prospect of revealing sensitive information. He leaned toward his dresser and got out his sketchbook. He carefully took out Sai’s drawing and held it out for Naruto to take, barely keeping his hand from shaking.

Naruto tentatively took the drawing, instantly recognizing its style as Sai’s. Furthermore, he recognized the guy in the portrait from when he’d first met Tatakai… when he’d grabbed him rather roughly, and this stranger had appeared, telling him to back off. “It’s that guy… the one who appeared and threatened me when we first met!”

While Sasuke could keep it off his face, he reeled back inwardly for a moment. Naruto had seen him before? Oh, right. He'd almost forgotten that Naruto had triggered  _ that _ at some point. It hadn't happened in a while now. He hadn't let himself be triggered as easily after realizing what it could mean within Konoha. And trigger points were becoming less, too, as he grew more familiar with the people around him. But now was not the time to think about that.

“If you ever see him, avoid eye contact at all costs and run.”

“Alright, why?”

“This is Kisame’s partner, and my brother.”

Naruto’s eyes grew big. “Oh.”

“Both my brother and Kisame are very dangerous… and it appears you caught their attention. Look, I haven’t spoken with my brother in three years. There’s nothing simple about our situation, but my brother recently managed to send me a message through Sai. And while I don’t understand why, he told me to protect you from him. So that’s why…” He trailed off.

“Oh, alright. But you realize I’m well-protected within Konoha? And I think Sai passed on that message. The Hokage is aware of the danger, so she’ll watch out for me.”

He’d expected as much, so he wasn’t surprised to have this confirmed. The implications of his brother’s message sent Sasuke’s thoughts racing again. All the possible scenarios that it could end in. The possible reasons why his brother could have warned Konoha. He didn’t understand. Did it mean that his brother had been loyal to Konoha all along? Did it mean that his brother was trying to get him a place in society? Did it mean he’d reveal himself to the world soon? Why now? Why… 

“Uhm, Tatakai?”

Did it matter? Shikamaru had pretty much figured him out. Was it worth it to hide any longer? He looked up at Naruto, then at the drawing, which the other had lain to the side in favor of getting comfortable on the bed without ruffling it. Itachi’s eyes seemed to haunt him from it.

Shikamaru had seemed alright with just waiting and seeing what happened. If Sasuke revealed himself to everyone now, he’d also be revealing Itachi’s identity and profile. Konoha might go for eliminating the threat instead of just protecting the target.

Their anonymity had held off most hunter-nin, as there was no bounty on their names and faces. But that would change. Who would protect his brother if it came to that?

Then again, it was only a matter of time. And if he was to follow through with his brother’s request, he’d need Naruto to know whom he was up against. And so, in a split-second decision, he took a leap of faith and spoke...

“Sasuke.”

Naruto looked at him questioningly.

“My name is Sasuke.”

Eyes grew wide.

“Uchiha Sasuke.” 

Naruto’s mouth fell open for a moment while he processed what he had just heard. “... _ Uchiha _ ?... The Uchiha are dead… so that would mean…  _ you _ .... How…?”

“That is not important. What is important is that it’s an Uchiha that you’d be fighting against.”

“I… but no one has ever seen another Uchiha after the…” Naruto averted his gaze to stare at the ground in thought, still not quite believing him.

“Look at me!” He followed the voice, staring into eyes that suddenly swirled to red. Naruto reeled back, shocked.

“We exist. My brother and I are still alive. And my brother is a master at illusions, which is why, under no circumstances, should you ever look into his eyes.” Naruto only stared unblinkingly, mesmerized.

“Do you understand?” Sasuke’s voice was sharp, trying to cut through Naruto’s daze. Said boy slowly unwound, nodding. He then sat back on the bed, leaning against the wall while trying to process the whole dimension of new information that had just been dumped on him. He whispered... and only after a while Sasuke realized that it was _his_ first name.

“ _ Sasuke, Sasuke, Sasuke…”  _ Naruto repeated, brows furrowed as if trying hard to recall something. Then his eyes grew wide, and he stared at the other. “Oh, God... you’re  _ that  _ kid. We went to school together, didn’t we? Oh, we should tell Sakura about this. She’ll be so happy! She was devastated when… God, she used to have…”

“Absolutely not. You will _ not _ tell her.”

“But, she was so sad—”

“Don’t tell anyone about my identity. My brother might be hunting you now, but considering the fact that he warned us and told me to protect you, I’m suspecting you’re not his real target…” He still held Naruto’s gaze. “...but I know he will make it believable if you force him to, so you better not compromise his efforts. If this information gets into the wrong hands, he might take drastic measures to keep his cover.”

“Uh…”

“I know what my brother is capable of. And I’ll remind you, he used to be a Shinobi for Konoha. He knows this village like the back of his hand.”

“So, that’s why you insist in me sleeping here.”

“Hn.” Sasuke leaned back.

Naruto straightened up. “But won’t he be more likely to attack when I’m on a mission? You’re not cleared for those.”

“I’m working on it. Now, what is your answer?”

“Uhm... if you can get Sakura to accept Ramen in her cupboard, then yes.”

“Hn, alright. Let’s talk to her.”

Sasuke watched as Naruto enthusiastically sprang from the bed and unlocked the door.

“Sakura-chan!”

00000

Sakura had been sitting in her room, door open, reading while waiting for the boys to re-emerge from their discussion. They had dared to lock her out, and somehow, she could hear absolutely nothing through the door. It was as if the room had been sealed off. Therefore, when she finally heard the door open, she felt relief.

_ “Sakura-chan!” _

That was Naruto, who was bouncing through the hallway in search for her.

“I’m coming…”

The boys had indeed emerged from Tatakai’s room. Tatakai himself was leaning in the doorframe, waiting for Naruto to calm down. She led them into the living room for a proper discussion, and the slave quickly took word.

“Naruto agreed to stay. I’d like to accompany him to his place some time today to get his essentials. He also requests a place to stock his Ramen in the kitchen.”

“He what?”

“He agreed to stay.”

“Well, I heard you the first time. Naruto, what’s this about?”

“He asked nicely, and explained that if I needed company at all times, it might as well be here with my team. Now, what about the Ramen situation?”

“Uh…” She wove one hand into her hair in confusion. “... if you’re really fine with living here, then it’s alright. But we’re going to get a second bed into that room. No one is going to sleep on the ground.”

00000

When Kakashi returned later in the day to check up on the others, he was surprised to find the place vacant. Furthermore, when he checked the slave’s room, he found it rearranged and a second bed frame crammed in. He sensed something else about the room as well... a sizzling presence of activated seals, just at the edge of consciousness. It took him quite a while to figure out that the walls were absorbing any noise made inside the room. It was an interesting discovery, but he decided to ignore that in favor of the second bed. The room was big enough to allow having it there, but now there wasn’t much space left to spare. Not sure what to make of this development, he decided to wait instead of trying to find them.

The three strolled in about fifteen minutes later, and he curiously observed the strange progression from his hiding spot, concealing his presence.

_ “...really cool. You should teach that one to me.” _ That was Naruto.

_ “Unpack your things first. Then, you may have a look _ ,” the slave answered.

There was rummaging, and Sakura walked past him carrying a whole bunch of Instant Ramen packages in her arms, mumbling about it being unreasonable and unhealthy.

He decided to show himself, dropping from his hiding spot to the door frame, he looked into the guest room.

“Oh, hi Kakashi-Sensei.”

The kids seemed to be unpacking things from a storage scroll. Not quite what he had expected, but certainly resourceful. He figured that was what they had spoken about before. Naruto probably wanted to take a look at how the scroll worked and how to replicate it.

“Are you moving in, Naruto?”

“Yes. The Teme, here, found that it would be easier to just move in if I already need someone around at all times. He promised to teach me some cool stuff.”

“And what would that be?”

“I intend to teach him to read properly, as well as teach him how to counter illusions of all kinds. And I agreed to be his sparring partner,” answered Tatakai in an annoyed tone.

“Interesting.” Kakashi said more to himself than anyone else.

“Naruto, where do you want these?” Tatakai was holding up some picture frames.

“Oh you can put them on the window sill for now. Or do you think we can share the dresser? Maybe we can hang some of them up in the living room, too.” 

“The first drawer is mine; do whatever you want with the rest,” the other murmured as he moved to put the frame down there. Sasuke found some more frames, stacking them all on the dresser for now while Naruto filled his side of the closet with his clothes and other stuff.

“I think we need some kind of shelf over the beds. Dang, I thought I had less stuff than this. And I still need to talk about rent with Sakura.”

Tatakai had just retrieved Naruto’s blanket and pillow from the scroll. It didn’t smell all that fresh and Kakashi saw Tatakai sigh. “I’m gonna air this out a bit. Find your second set of bed sheets, we’re gonna change them. Ah, and Kakashi, this goes in the kitchen.” He pointed to the stack of food on the ground that was waiting to be moved, then grabbed the blanket and left the room.

Shrugging his shoulders, Kakashi went to do as asked. Sakura was just stuffing the last few packets into a practically overflowing cabinet.

“Don’t tell me there’s more.” She rolled her eyes upon seeing him indeed carrying more Ramen, but quickly worked on rearranging another shelf to fit everything.

“So what’s this all about?” Kakashi asked.

“Somehow, Tatakai decided that Naruto needed to move in. I’m not completely sure how he got that idea, but he convinced Naruto. And I don’t think it was as simple as an  _ ‘I’ll be your friend if you do’ _ kind of thing.” She stuffed the rest of the food onto the shelf she had cleared and stood up.

“Also, he has apparently started to help him with reading. They’re reading  _ Notes of a Hokage in Training, _ based on a notebook that Namikaze Minato left behind.”

Kakashi’s eyes widened a tiny bit. He hadn’t known such a book existed, and it was most strange to hear that Tatakai, a non-Konohanian slave, had picked out precisely that to teach Naruto. And it had to be him! Naruto would never open a book that could possibly focus on paperwork.

Sakura nodded at his apparent surprise. “I know, right? Well, we should give him a chance, I suppose; maybe he’ll really do Naruto some good. Anyway, let’s check up on the boys.”

Said boys were still stashing things away. They confirmed that they were almost done, though.

“We’ll meet Yamato at the training ground at one PM today,” Kakashi announced. “We’re resuming your personal training with his assistance, Naruto, but I thought we could hit the training ground before that to do some team exercises.”

00000

Sakura found herself facing Tatakai. Kakashi had decided that they needed to work out their differences before they would do more training exercises, nevermind missions, together. He had left with one pointed look, then went to train with Naruto and Sai, who had joined their sparring session. Tatakai was longingly observing them, prefering to be anywhere else than in  _ her _ company. He did  _ not _ want to talk about what happened with the slave seal, and he wanted to explain how it worked even less.

“So, how are we going to do this?” she said, finally breaking the uncomfortable silence.

“Easy. If you set something off, I’m going to tell you how to reverse it and you do it without questioning the why or how,” he said coldly.

“I don’t think Kakashi will go for that. Talking could compromise a mission.”

“If you set something off, it’s most likely you already said something. Therefore, I don’t see the problem. And we both know I only need eye contact to let you know.”

“It’s still a risk he wouldn’t take. I won’t lie to him just so you can accompany us on missions and risk everyone’s lives, especially your own. That's not how a team works. You’re lucky that Sai said only _ I _ needed to know, otherwise it would have been quite possible that Kakashi would have given you the ultimatum... something like: ‘Spill the beans in front of everyone or never go on missions with us again’. But I want you to tell me exactly what happened to cause you to pass out last time. I’ll settle for nothing less.”

“Fine. I fought you, and I’m sure you realize that I can’t go all out on you because the seal prevents me from forming any fatal blow against you.”

“I’m afraid I don’t understand.”

Tatakai groaned. “What do you think is the reason that it’s considered safe for someone like me to be a slave?”

“Because the seal prevents you from harming me, I assume; they told me about that.”

He snorted mirthlessly. “Ts, it’s more than that… but essentially, yes.”

“So you’re saying that you can only train with me, but not actually fight me?”

“Oh, I can fight you... I could even hurt you...”

“But?”

“I can't do it on purpose.”

“So, it matters if it’s intentional or not?” Sakura prodded, trying hard to figure this out. He wasn’t very forthcoming. Who did he think he was?

“Yes.” Tatakai leaned against the tree, arms crossed in barely hidden annoyance.

“That’s not all of it though, is it?”

“No.” 

Sakura waited for more, but he didn’t elaborate, and probably wasn’t planning to. It made her angry. Not the superficial kind, either, where she’d smack Sai or Naruto for saying something inappropriate. No, this was anger that had deeply taken root, been fed and repressed. She had tried to show understanding for his situation, his attitude, but it was getting to the point where it was more than just pushing buttons. It was starting to boil.

“You’re really going to be like this? Are you trying to tire me out so you don’t have to spill all of it?”

“Hn.” 

“Well, fine then. I’m not playing this game, it’s stupid. You’re the one who wants to join the team and go on missions. You know what you need to do. Find me when you’re more willing. I’m not wasting my time,” she said in a practiced, calm voice that betrayed how she really felt. With that, she turned around and stalked off.

He didn’t follow. Probably that stupid pride of his. Oh well, it wasn’t like she cared if he followed her to reunite with the others with that pissy attitude of his.

When she looked back, he was gone. Brooding bastard. She was only trying to help. Why couldn’t he believe that?

00000

Itachi and Kisame had once again been observing their target. Naruto had left the apartment with the Nara heir this morning. Itachi suspected he’d been summoned. He returned with Kakashi, who left shortly after.

They weren’t too close to the apartment complex, so they couldn’t see more than the comings and goings of people. They weren’t trying to get a view inside, just observing their target’s pattern. After a while, Naruto left, the pink-haired girl and Sasuke accompanying him. They went to a store that resold used furniture. They did not seem to carry any purchases when they returned to the apartment , but Itachi knew that they might have used a storage scroll. Shortly after, they left again, going to another apartment complex. They spent quite a while there, but eventually returned to the first. He and Kisame speculated that that had probably been Naruto’s home.

The group had then gone to a training ground. Itachi noted that Sasuke had a talk with Sakura that ended in her stomping off and him leaving right after. He then concealed himself at an appropriate distance to watch the training unfold, but stayed far enough away so they would most likely not be aware of his presence unless they searched for it.

“Foolish little brother, what are you doing?” he murmured as he watched the training unfold. If he had one guess, he'd say his brother wanted to be alone while simultaneously guarding Naruto.

When the rest of the group finally walked back to the apartment, they were close enough to overhear the passing group’s conversation.

_ “... know you can’t pay for both. Look, how about we wait for a month, see how it goes, and then decide? Don’t worry about it just yet. I’d rather you not rush this.” _

_ “Uhm, okay. Where did he go anyway? I thought he wanted to stick around.” _

_ “I don’t know, he didn’t say. I was just pissed at him, so I left.” _

_ “Understandably so. Well, his loss. You did the right thing Sakura-chan.” _

_ “What convinced you to agree, anyway? I mean you…” _

They stepped out of hearing range, and the two Akatsuki members exchanged glances. Itachi had his suspicions, but he wouldn’t speak of them until it was confirmed.

At noon, after Itachi had purchased some Dango and fish for himself and his companion, they ate while observing the very same apartment they’d been led to multiple times.

“When will you face your brother?”

“Not now.”

“Are we going to involve him at any point?”

“Too early to tell. He’ll be met with a lot of controversy as soon as they realize we are Uchiha.”

They sank into silence again, deciding to follow their target.

“I wonder when  _ they’ll _ make their move on the Kazekage,” Kisame quietly said.

“We will know when they do. Naruto is close friends with him, after all, and Suna will probably call Konoha for support.”

00000

Sasuke had searched for a place to think. He was angry at having messed this up, but at the same time felt justified. He decided to keep to himself for a while until he could figure out how to proceed. However, his plans were overturned once more when a ninja with a mask suddenly appeared in front of him and slightly bowed.

“Tatakai, slave of Sakura, you’ve been summoned by the Hokage today to report on your mission.”

The other bowed again, and then disappeared as quickly and silently as he’d appeared.

Sasuke just stood there, dumbfounded. Report to the Hokage? Mission? Was this about him guarding Naruto? Or would the Hokage reveal that she knew who he was, which clan he belonged to? Or would she simply ask about the threat his brother posed?

Would they interrogate him?

Could he do anything to preserve himself and his brother?

The ninja had seemingly just left. Was this a plot to see if he’d come on his own? To make him less guarded? Was someone watching him right now?

He started moving. He knew one shouldn’t ignore a Hokage summoning. He remembered it only vaguely, but whenever Itachi had been summoned, he’d left immediately. It was unsurprising that one would go immediately, even if no urgency had been mentioned. The message had only come just now, and he had half a mind to let the Hokage wait, just because he could. After all, he could just say he didn’t know the customs of Konoha, not being one of their trusted ninja. It was tempting.

However it could quite possibly piss off Lady Hokage. He’d heard of her before, and felt like he was in no place to try her patience right now. He didn’t need to incite any more antagonism. A direct audience could even be an opportunity for him _ … _ unless the goal was to take him into custody for interrogation.  _ That _ possibility did not sit well with his stomach.

Without further ado, he returned home, grabbed a piece of paper to write a short message for the others to find, then grabbed his key and left.

The way to the Hokage building was short. He entered, looked around, and finally decided to go to the front desk. He was sure that Konoha ninja didn’t always announce their visit there, but this was his first time of summoning, and he was not one of them.

“Excuse me, I’ve been summoned by the Hokage...” He trailed off.

“Aah, not from here, then? Well, just go up the stairs, find the Hokage’s waiting room, and wait until Shizune calls you in.”

“Hn.” He bowed and went to search for the stairs. The room was easy to find. It was more like a hallway kind of thing, actually, and he sat down in one of the chairs provided. There were a couple of other people, mostly ninja. The one he clearly recognized as a civilian held a stack of papers that looked suspiciously like a petition.

He waited and observed. It was quite a while before a lady opened the Hokage’s office door. She quickly surveyed who was present, then called a name. One of the ninja unfroze and quickly stepped through the doors. It didn’t take long until he was out and away. The next person got called.

Sasuke’s thoughts whirled. His senses were heightened, a battlefield symptom, only there was no battle to fight. He was painfully aware of the fact that he did not know what awaited him in there. He also knew that he had no choice but to stay and wait it out. He could not run, he could not fight. Whatever the Hokage wanted, he’d have to live with it. If he was to be arrested and interrogated, there was nothing he could do about it.

He had probably waited half an hour or more until Shizune, he assumed, finally turned to him.

“Tatakai? Please, come in.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Huge thanks goes to my friend Nicole, who proofread this chapter.  
WriterofGotham, you always cheer me up with your reviews, thank you so much for writing them :)
> 
> thanks also for the support all of you gave in from of kudo's and co. so far. It's awesome to know that this is being read!


	11. Meetings, Confrontations, and Realisations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A thanks to my friend Nicole for proofreading :)

As Sasuke stepped through the doors, he quickly scanned the room. He then fixated on the blond lady behind the desk, the one he supposed to be Tsunade, the fifth Hokage. She had still been leaning over some document when he’d entered, but she now put it away, looking him straight in the eyes.

He stopped two meters before the desk and nodded his head in respect. More of a bow would probably have been appropriate, but he felt like since he wasn’t sworn to her, he would keep it at a minimum.

“So, _ Tatakai _, we finally meet.”

“Hn.” He continued to stare at her, determined to not to get unnerved.

“Here is how we’re going to do this since you’re not sworn to Konoha: There need to be people guarding me this very moment. They won’t be in the room but they’ll keep an eye on us. Should there be any reason for them to believe you wish ill of me, they will come in. This room is soundproof, so they won’t be able to listen. Are you with me so far?”

Sasuke nodded as she took a sip from a Sake-filled glass. It was probably as private an audience as he was going to get. 

Shizune left through a back door... and they were alone. At least Tsunade did not waste much time. 

“You are mainly here to discuss the mission that has inadvertently befallen you with Sakura’s picking you out at the slave house.” She spoke calmly. “I was just letting things roll to see where it took us. However, when your skills as a ninja were revealed, I was starting to keep a closer eye on both of you... and there are a couple of things that should be addressed now.”

She took another sip from her glass and leaned back in her chair.

“For this, I’d like to lay out some facts for you to understand why I’ve ordered Sakura to get a slave even though she technically does not need any help in the house or anywhere else. And no, I wasn’t trying to set her up with someone.”

Her lips formed a vaguely amused smile when she saw his poorly hidden distaste at the suggestion, but her eyes quickly regained a serious hardness that suited her position.

“Sakura first lost her teammate on a mission, and later her parents due to some sad events. She’s become uprooted. In addition, her remaining teammate, Naruto, left the village for individual training, at which point she became my apprentice. She took training very seriously, and while it helped for her to get better, I realized that she was running from her loneliness and trying to find fulfillment and purpose in healing other people’s physical bodies.

“She became overly dedicated and started pushing herself past her limits all too regularly, and not always justified by a life-or-death risk. I had hoped it would get better when her team was reinstated, but it didn’t. I daresay it got worse.She would keep everyone at a distance, she would drain herself to the point of fainting at work, sometimes also in training. She’d only work and sleep. Naruto told me that she was hard to drag away from her research to actually spend some work-free quality time with her team or friends. She refuses to acknowledge her limits and needs. Realizing that my apprentice was destroying herself, much like many Shinobi that lose hold of reality and get taken from the active roster to rehabilitate, I decided to act. But the hospital, or even a psychologist, could not have helped her since she works here at a high position and refuses to acknowledge that she has a problem in the first place.”

She folded her hands and searched Sasuke’s eyes. The picture painted by the Hokage did explain some things he had witnessed himself, though her description sounded more severe than what he had seen. He still wasn’t sure where he was supposed to fit in with this problem-solving, though. Him, a stranger with no relations to her.

“Just as expected, the mandatory leave and your involvement did bring some change already, but for one, it’s not enough. Plus, I’ll be honest, I did not expect you to be a ninja. It complicates matters.”

Sasuke did not feel the need to reply, crossing his arms. It wasn’t his fault that he had the training. Showing them was a risk he had taken, knowing what it would mean. But having had the opportunity to finally use chakra again, he hadn’t been able to resist. Too long had he been cut off from using it properly.

“I want to discuss with you how to proceed now. She’s gotten better, but only by a bit. Do you have any idea what I wanted to achieve by forcing her to get a slave? Can you guess why you’re here?”

Now directly addressed, he knew he’d have to answer unless he wanted to piss off the Hokage.

“Get her some help taking care of herself, and maybe bonding with someone not involved in the ninja business… which I can see not working out with me.”

“That’s part of it, yes. I had expected her to get someone more physically unwell, but in the end, that doesn’t matter. You’re healthy now, which is what I had in mind for her to deal with. You still have issues though, and she’ll eventually realize that.”

“That won’t help her with her problems; she’ll only want to _ ‘fix’ _me. And I don’t need that,” Sasuke said coldly.

“Yes, I know. I intended her to share her home with a complete stranger. Whether you share her way of life or not doesn’t matter. The reason I did it was because I’ve seen people grow the most when they are living together. She can still hide and run away, but eventually she’s got to get out of her room and figure out how to do things with you around. She’s realizing that. She’s not liking it, but she’s trying....” She smiled faintly, but quickly turned her piercing gaze back on him. “I’m not asking you to comply with everything she says, quite the opposite, actually. You may trigger her a bit, but just be reasonable about it. You’ve done a good job confronting her so far, and that’s exactly what I wanted to happen. What I wish of you is to lead her into a more healthy way of living.”

Sasuke suppressed the urge to shake his head at the irony. The Hokage seemed to have the exact same goal for her charge as Itachi had had for him, only their approach was drastically different.

“Also, just to clarify: It's not my intention for you to stay Sakura’s slave forever. It might make sense to keep you here against your will for now, to start out, but I know very well that it isn’t a good base for any relationship—especially not for one meant to heal. She will eventually need to let you go.“

“That is good to know,” he said, somewhat cynical, making clear that he did not believe her yet.

Tsunade ignored it and continued. “Your situation as a ninja is a bit special. You didn’t grow up here, and you’re only bound here by slavery now. But you’re not always going to be. I’ve been thinking about what will be down the road. You might have come in touch with relevant secrets of this village before you’re freed, which is why we might not be able to let you leave the village and break off contact with our forces—”

“So basically I’ll still be a slave of Konoha, just without a seal. That’s what I thought,” he interrupted her.

Tsunade’s eyes narrowed dangerously, then she abruptly stood up, slamming her hands onto the table. _ Hard. _ “Do you want to hear me out or would you prefer to be incarcerated right away for speaking out of turn?” she hissed, annoyed, quickly seeking out his eyes again… and finding herself unable to move the moment she did.

Faintly glowing, red eyes met hers. Everything else faded to darkness at once. The face in the shadows, though similar, wasn't Tatakai's. Right now, it was only illuminated by these scarlet orbs, which she now saw were swirling with black patterns. Unrecognizable, ablaze, like black and red fire, mixing, burning with rage.

“_ You have been marked _.” The cold, low voice resounded in her ears, and then the eyes, having come ever closer, were gone.

A katana... she saw it strike down everyone in its path. Faceless people. Civilian and ninja alike. No one stood a chance, even if they tried to fight back. A slaughter... there was no other word for it. And it looked so real; she could see every detail of fabric, every drop of blood. Scenes blurred together. It was overwhelming. 

“_ This boy is under my protection _.” The voice resounded again, closer, harsher. 

The eyes were there again, and the face slowly grew more visible, still primarily in the shadows. Delicate features, fair skin, but crusted with dust and grime and splatters of blood. Black strands of hair partially veiled his features, his mouth and jawline safely hidden behind a cloak’s collar that faded into the darkness seemingly surrounding him.

“_ Bring harm to him and you’ll regret it. _”

The stranger disappeared from view and screams faded from her ears. She could admit, any normal person would probably be scared shitless now. But she was Konoha’s Hokage, and she had her suspicions as to what was happening. 

When the darkness completely lifted, she saw that Shizune and Neji had stormed into the room and grabbed Tatakai's arms. They twisted them back and held them there, and Neji was pressing Tatakai's neck down. 

Tatakai had paled considerably, not even trying to shake them off, eyes squinted together. He was breathing harshly, his whole body tense and alert.

This didn't look like the reaction of someone who had been caught attacking her, the Hokage. And frankly, she doubted the boy was so stupid as to attack her when she had warned him that they'd be watched. So what had happened?

“Let him go!” Tsunade yelled, and the boy winced, startled.

Neji, however, didn't loosen his hold on him. “There was suddenly a lot of chakra gathered in his eyes, and you froze. He used a Kekkei Genkai on you, didn't he?”

“I have it under control. Leave us; we're not done here.”

“You said to interfere if he attacked you!”

“And now I say leave. Are you questioning your Hokage?”

Reluctantly, Neji let go. 

“Only come back in if he lifts a hand against me or if this happens again for a longer period of time.”

Tatakai straightened, rotating his arms a bit to shake off the feeling of them being pinned back, his breath still shallow and fast. 

“Calm down!” Tsunade ordered.

Tatakai managed to suppress the wince, but he still tensed at her voice. He slowly tried to relax, bit by bit. After breathing deeply a couple of times, he finally looked up again, his black eyes carefully hiding the emotions he most definitely still felt.

Sasuke hadn't meant, hadn't wanted this to happen. He knew that this could be considered attacking the Hokage, and this had to be the easiest way to get him submitted into interrogation, the place he'd wanted to avoid the most. This was bad.

The Hokage's reaction, however, caught him off guard.

He warily did as told and waited until he was sure he wouldn't be set off again before he looked up fearfully.

The Hokage's eyes were regarding him carefully, and Sasuke had a hard time daring to keep eye contact.

“So this is how you scared everyone into trading you back… certainly enlightening ”

Sasuke bit his lip, not knowing how to reply.

Lady Tsunade had sent her guards away, and she sounded a bit like she had figured out what had just happened. 

“I didn't intend to question you about your brother today, but now I feel inclined to ask if this has something to do with him.”

Sasuke didn't like the question, but he was uncomfortably aware of his precarious situation here and reluctantly set out to answer. “It does.”

“Hmm…” She sat down in her chair again and leaned back. “Anyway, while whatever did just happen does not exactly speak in your favor, I am giving you another chance because I feel that it wasn’t intentional on your part.”

Sasuke swallowed, then nodded. “I’ll listen.” He reminded himself to stay calm this time. Too much was at risk to slip up again, they had been talking about his terms of possible freedom, after all.

“Good. Once you’re freed, you will be on probation. We will need to determine if we can trust you with our secrets and if it is safe to let you go. I’m not saying it’s not possible; we try to avoid placing people into a rogue status if we can help it. But if you go running off beyond our borders of your own volition, you will be hunted down. Having said that, if and when your mission with Sakura is successfully completed, we will offer you a home in Konoha and a place amongst our ranks.”

“Of course,” Sasuke said, keeping his tone in check this time.

“Glad we understand each other. Don’t enlighten Sakura about the specifics of this mission. And take good care of Naruto, too. Dismissed.”

00000

Naturally, Sasuke was late for the team’s training session, and what he saw when he hit the training field was not what he had expected. There were Narutos everywhere. And each one was holding a leaf. They were rather loud, too. Sasuke observed the scene and tried to figure out what was going on, eventually coming to the conclusion that Naruto must be learning to unlock his Wind Release. Observing the happenings around him was a welcome distraction.

He remembered when Itachi had taught him the same exercise. It had frustrated him to no end to be stuck alone dividing leaves while Itachi had gone on some mystery missions with Kisame. Eventually, he’d figured it out. He still didn’t use Wind Release often though, it was not one of his strong suits.

He further saw Kakashi sparring with Sakura, and there was also a guy who was sitting calmly between some wooden pillars and holding a hand in the air. The Kanji for “stabilize” was visible on his palm. He didn’t know what it was for, but it was adding to the weirdness of the situation, which only made him so much more baffled.

When Naruto halted his training, deciding to get advice from someone with Wind chakra abilities, Sasuke insisted on accompanying him. To his surprise, Naruto lead him to Shikamaru playing Shogi with some older Shinobi, whom Naruto greeted as Asuma Sensei. He carefully listened to what the man had to say, inclined to just stay in the metaphorical shadows, observe what they said and did, and not to have to talk to Shikamaru. He briefly turned on his Sharingan to observe Asuma and his chakra blades, careful that the one in question didn’t see. He didn’t sense anyone else in their vicinity, so he felt safe enough to do so through his bangs.

It was interesting to see Asuma’s explanation visualized through the Sharingan’s chakra recognition, and it was nice to not have to engage in the conversation.

When they returned to the training grounds, Naruto continued. At about four in the afternoon, he actually managed to cut some leaves. There was loud cheering, and Sasuke looked up from the exercises he had busied himself with in the meantime. Clones started poofing out, and a moment later, Naruto’s eyes started to droop. Sasuke raced forward. He beat Kakashi to it, but only because he’d been standing closer. Naruto had collapsed, and was now half-lying on Sasuke’s back.

Sasuke quickly shifted him into a position more suitably to carry and then looked up to the others, who were approaching. The wood-style guy looked at him strangely, leaning down to meet his gaze, his eyes big and ghoul-like. “Hey Kakashi, is it just me or does he look like ‘the weasel’?” 

Totally caught off guard Sasuke froze and almost lost balance, unused to the additional weight on his back. He adjusted Naruto once more to hide this slip. Kakashi was now peering, too, and Sasuke was glad for his bangs.

“Hmm, didn’t you say that about Sai already? But you’re right, they all kinda look alike,” he said, shrugging his shoulders. He then leaned over to examine Naruto’s state. “Only _ he _ could have done this all in one day. Sleep will do him good. Let’s take him home and call it a day.”

00000

Sasuke put Naruto down on his bed, pulling off his shoes as an afterthought. He quietly slipped out of the the room, leaving the door ajar. He was hungry. 

Sakura was in the kitchen, reading another book, a glass of milk in front of her. “What did Tsunade want?” she asked, looking up.

“Mission briefing,” he said with a clipped tone. His thoughts were still racing around the fact that Yamato had pretty much recognized him… and also confirmed that both Kakashi and he had not only known of the Uchiha, but apparently knew Itachi personally. The thought put an uneasy feeling in his stomach.

He took out a pan to cook some rice and set it up. Once the food was ready, they ate in silence. Upon their finishing, Sasuke put the leftovers into the fridge and returned to his room, where he stared at Naruto’s still form.

So many things to think about... In a span of mere days he finally knew why he was here in Sakura’s house. He’d been confronted by Shikamaru about his identity in all but name; he’d found out that Kakashi had known Itachi; he’d spoken to the Hokage and she had not interrogated him; he’d finally heard from his brother, and fought Kisame...

And, he had taken up the duty of protecting a blond idiot that had once been in his academy class. He’d told the other his _ name _ . His _ full _name.

He stared out of the slit that the curtain left uncovered. He could only see the light flooding in, a mere strip of sky as he laid down in his bed. He had taken the one by the window. Naruto was laying on the other side, on the bed against the wall, still sleeping off the exhaustion the training session had brought him.

Sasuke's life had taken a drastic turn, and for the first time in a long while, he felt like he actually had a chance at a decent life. He couldn’t quite explain it, but all this change was making him feel somewhat… uneasy.

Sighing, he turned away from the window, curling up and laying still. His brother had wanted him to socialize, the Hokage wanted him to socialize. He still felt like rebelling against it; he’d been fighting alone for a long time and his approach had kept him safe many times.

_ No one will bother to look for them _… It had also been the reason he became a target though. He’d been caught because he had no ties in the first place and he didn’t want that to ever happen again.

If word got out about a Sharingan that had survived the massacre, people might become very interested in him. He wasn’t sure if he could actually survive alone. Undercover he had come far, but it had always been without drawing attention. If it came out who he was and that he was alone… He had good skills, and he knew he was more powerful with the Sharingan active, but people would want to test it. And he had no back up, no safety net. He was only just now working himself up to the level he’d been before capture. He wasn’t like his brother, who had probably figured out a way to get out of slavery by the end of the first week.

He might be able to build up a life here in Konoha, he might even be able to leave at some point. He might be free again. He might make friends that would support him. He… he might be able to settle down and return to using his real name, his inheritance, openly. Maybe that was what Itachi was trying to do: Expose his identity, but make sure he was in a position to be himself, with a village to back him up.

The price was giving the village his loyalty and doing as they said. But he’d be without a seal. He’d work for the village that had once been his clan’s home. If he were to have kids, they could grow up here safely. He might still be under the rule of the Hokage, but he might actually be able build a life worth living.

Conversely, the price of living in complete freedom was to live in hiding or build up a reputation. He’d be alone again. He’d quite possibly be feared, maybe admired... but never trusted. 

Did he want that?

His brother had told him to get friends. Back then, he had ignored those words, thinking of only one thing: To kill Itachi, to avenge his clan… but then what? He’d never actually thought that far. Start a family? That had been on his mind before, but what could he offer out there all alone? His thoughts had always stopped at the point of possibility that Itachi might come to slay _ them _… 

But, maybe he should start thinking ahead anyway. His brother wasn’t around now. In fact, Itachi had let him know that he shouldn’t rely on him anymore. His brother expected him to fight next time they met.

Had that had been Itachi's plan all along? But his brother had to know that he wouldn't be a challenge after three years of slavery. No, it couldn't be. His brother had let him know that he loved him last time they'd seen each other. He'd held onto that so, that his brother would come to free him… He just hadn't been able to find him, he'd changed owners and places so many times…

But this... this order to prepare to fight….

It would make Itachi the enemy once more, it would divide their future. Why couldn’t Itachi just come back and live with him? As long as no one knew what he’d done, it should—no—_ could _ have been possible. But Itachi didn’t seem to want that.

No, apparently, for whatever reason, Itachi’s official target now was Naruto. Naruto, the loudmouth; the one who claimed to someday be the future Hokage. What did he have that would make him a target? And why did Itachi tell his little brother to intervene?

Sasuke felt a bone-deep weariness, mental tiredness, anger at himself, all overshadowed by the knowledge that he could do nothing, really, except follow Itachi's word. Even if he didn't, Itachi would find a way to make sure he complied anyway in the end. 

Sasuke just wanted his big brother back. But now that he finally felt like giving up on revenge and letting him in, Itachi was more out of reach than ever, leaving him to fend for himself in Konoha.

00000

Sakura was sitting in the living room, curled up on the couch. She didn’t know what to do. Tatakai had more or less ignored her. He’d answered when she’d asked him something directly, but it had been clipped and altogether uninviting. Now he had locked Naruto and himself in their room, probably playing guard again.

She wished she had more patience. She knew he’d have to crack and tell her at some point, at least, if he truly wanted to go on missions. It was so annoying that he kept pushing it.

What was it that had set him off back then? She had realized that the seal didn’t force him to straight-out obey orders, and he therefore wouldn’t tell her if she ordered him to spill. So what was she missing? How long would he keep this up until he admitted defeat? Should she start taking more drastic measures to speed things up? Would that be justifiable or simply cruel? Would it help their cause? Would it make living together unbearable? He didn't seem to be a person that would forgive easily.

The doorbell rang. Sighing, she got up to open the door to see who was visiting her now. It was Sai, looking all packed and ready for a mission. There were no words needed to explain that he was heading out.

“Please tell the others that I’ll be back soon. Probably two or three days.”

“You’ve taken on a lot of missions lately; don’t you think you need to slow down a bit? Have you been eating enough?”

“Ugly...” Sai faintly smiled. “...I used to take on more. It is fine; I know my limits and I know how to look after myself. I need to get going. I just wanted to let my team know I was heading out. Take care!”

He left swiftly and she turned back to her couch. Though she felt tired, it was too early to go to bed, so she decided upon rereading one of her medical volumes while waiting for Naruto to wake up.

The clock hit eight in the evening before he and Tatakai reappeared, Naruto still looking rather tired. Tatakai wordlessly went to the kitchen. Naruto seemed to keep close, occasionally lending him a hand, chattering almost constantly. Sakura stayed in the living room with half an ear open as to what they were doing, but was too used to Naruto’s claptrap to pay much attention to what he said.

When Tatakai appeared in the doorway, motioning for her to come, she put the book aside to follow him to the kitchen 

Tatakai was still brooding, and for once, Naruto was quiet too. It wasn’t until after Tatakai had served them and they’d spoken their respective “Idatakimasu” that Naruto spoke up.

“So Sakura, Tatakai told me that it’s his duty to keep the house clean and such. I’m not fine with—”

Tatakai had grabbed Naruto’s arm, pulling him close. “I told you to keep out of it,” he hissed. 

“I don’t care. If I live here, we’re going to do stuff together,” Naruto said, now grabbing him, too.

Sakura stared at them, trying to gather her wits.

“Let go of me!” Tatakai growled.

“Well, let go of me, too, Teme!”

They dove at each other simultaneously, and a moment later, were rolling around in a brawl.

“STOP IT, BOTH OF YOU!” Sakura shouted.

They immediately stilled, let go of each other and after another slow moment, moved to get up.

“Now, sit down and behave like civilized people,” she stated more calmly, but still with a glint in her eyes. 

They wordlessly did as told.

“Now Naruto, I only had him do housework so he’d actually have something to do. I still don’t know what Tsunade wants to achieve with this, but I know my housework wasn’t really a problem. I don’t need him to do all of it, so we can just as easily set up a plan of who will do what if it is bothering you. There’s no need to fight,” she pointed out in an angry, but suppressed voice. “And you, Tatakai, if you’re really trying to join the team, then it is essential that everyone is comfortable, especially when we’re not on a mission. Naruto’s got every reason to discuss this. If we got problems in our social life, we will most definitely have trouble working as a team.”

Tatakai was staring at her defiantly. “And when was the last time your team was involved in your social life?”

Sakura’s eyes widened. Had he really just said that? Who did he think he was?

“I don’t need to explain myself to you!” she bit out.

“Indeed. I live here. I’ve seen your ‘social life’... or lack thereof.” he said in a matter-of-fact voice, still keeping eye contact, eyes cold and angry, much like she remembered them when she'd seen them for the first time.

“You...” she snarled, “who do you think you are?”

“Last time I checked? Your slave,” he said nonchalantly.

“You act as if you _ want _ to be treated like one. Do you? It can be arranged, you know.”

“You're missing the point.”

“Oh and what _ is _ the point? It's not my fault that you lost your freedom! If I could, I’d let you go; you're a pain to live with!”

“Guys, stop it!” Naruto demanded. “This is getting us nowhere. Now, what are we going to do about the housework?”

Sakura was still glowering at Sasuke, who was silently and pointedly returning her glare, arms crossed defiantly.

Seeing that she now had both boys’ attention, she let out an annoyed groan. “Urgh, this is so stupid. Let's make a schedule or something. Then you, Tatakai, can get out of my face.”

“Hn.”

Sakura got a pen and paper, then started outlining a weekly schedule. Tatakai wordlessly grabbed another paper and pen, starting to list off what would need to be done. Naruto just observed the two.

“So, we got kitchen duty, bathroom duty, and vacuum duty,” Sakura reeled off. “Who wants to do which this week?”

00000

The discussion hadn’t gone over without some arguments, though they were milder than what they’d had before. Nonetheless, Sakura was annoyed at how Tatakai had been acting. The gall he’d had, to insult her private life to her face. He’d really crossed a line with that. 

Huffing, she plopped on her bed, turning to face the wall.

Throughout the night, he’d kept criticizing her ideas, and while his arguments made perfect sense, it pissed her off. _ He _ pissed her off. He’d look at her with his dark eyes, handsome face, and that expression that clearly let her know what he thought of her. Her only condolence was that he was regarding Naruto similarly... most of the time, at least.

Hmf, and this guy wanted to join their team.

He was intelligent, she knew, but if he didn’t watch it, his arrogance would be his downfall. Too bad if he wanted something of her. She felt less and less inclined to be lenient with him.

True, his determination to protect Naruto was kind of admirable. However, it didn’t seem to be motivation enough to talk out his slave seal issues with her. But he had somehow convinced Naruto to move in, which was a little feat on it’s own considering how stubborn the blonde could be.

She wondered why.

Tatakai had admitted that they had run into an acquaintance of his that apparently wished Naruto harm. But that didn’t explain why he would go this far to protect him. From what she knew of him, he was a loner... someone who didn’t do friendships.

Oh well, if he really wanted to join the team, he’d have to make up with her. And if he kept alienating her, he’d have a hard time doing that. She would not tolerate this any longer. He’d need to earn her trust, just as she'd have to earn his. She’d tried to show him that she would not abuse any knowledge he entrusted to her. If that wasn’t enough, then… well, too bad for him. Right now she was pissed at him, so he’d better leave her alone.

00000

Sasuke knew he shouldn't have said those things. But when the subject had come up, he just hadn't been able to hold his tongue. The situation had offered some much needed emotional release, so he'd started lashing out. And she had reacted, surprisingly mild at first, but of course, less and less so as the argument started to escalate and get out of hand. Too much had happened lately, especially today, and his exhausted mind had dropped the filter.

But he couldn't take it all back now. And in some ways, he was glad to have said some of it, too. Now he definitely knew the extent of her ignorance. She wasn't aware in the least that she might have a problem. Though, if he was honest, he had probably exaggerated in the heat of the moment about her social life. She did have friends, and she did spend time with them... sometimes. And he hadn’t paid all that much attention to how she handled and used that time or how it was working out for her. He didn’t know about friendships anyway, having avoided relationships of all kinds for so long.

What he could relate to was the obsessiveness of training. He knew he’d been pushing it the first weeks here, but at least he was aware of it.

The thing that really bothered him was that he probably would not get around to spending some time with and getting to know Sakura and Naruto. And he hadn’t quite decided what he would do about that in the end. He didn’t want to become attached again, especially with Itachi’s threat hanging over them, but what could he do?

Itachi knew him too well... 

Suppressing a groan, he turned in bed, away from Naruto, who was snoring quietly on his side of the room. Again, he stared through the gap in the curtains.

He really needed to talk to Sakura first thing in the morning and tell her about the slave seal. It was risky to put it off, and the only reason he hadn’t talked to her about it tonight was because he knew he’d pissed her off by not keeping his tongue in check. And yeah, he knew he had spoken rashly, and that her reaction was not surprising. In retrospect, while it had felt great to relieve some tension, it had been a very stupid thing to let himself go like that. She had let him know quite clearly that she thought so, too, telling him that she'd put up with him for Naruto's sake, but to get out of her face the moment it was resolved.

His approach had definitely not been the best.

Also, there was something else that he had denied himself the task to think about until now: The slip-up in the Hokage's office. Yeah, he had his brother to thank for that. He'd been honest about that part.

She'd triggered it pretty strongly, though he knew it had also been because he was agitated, nervous… dreading the reason of why he'd been called, and what would happen after. Then, she had threatened him verbally, and even menacingly hit her desk. It hadn't helped, either, that when he heard Itachi's voice resound, his heart had started slamming and his thoughts went haywire with the realization that he was essentially—even though unintentionally—attacking the Hokage, and that his life was as good as over now. In the face of all that, he just hadn't been able to stop it from happening.

He knew that his thoughts and feelings fed into the illusion, even though he could never actually see what the illusion conjured. He’d been afraid to forget Itachi’s voice because it was the only thing he actually heard(maybe his influence was stronger on this since he was actually fully aware of the words being spoken, even if they didn’t solely spring from his mind). He’d been afraid to replace it with his own eventually. He’ been afraid of that being discovered, and people relating Itachi’s appearances back to him and his doings. So he stopped using his own voice, thinking that his speech may also affect how it manifested (It wasn’t like he had anything much to say to the assholes that held him captive). Now, he realized this wasn’t the case: Itachi's voice had sounded as clear as day, just like when they had been separated.

In the past he had come to understand quite a bit about the illusions that activated. Namely, he had come to understand that his imagination was supplying some components to the Genjutsu in addition to his thoughts and feelings. He knew that if, during the illusion, he imagined something happening to the unfortunate soul that had activated it, it would influence the illusion. If he imagined what Itachi would say, it would reflect in what he said. 

He hadn't this time, though. He'd kept himself out of it, or at least tried to. Unsure if he should try to stop it. Unsure if he could. Scared shitless about whom Itachi's illusion had been threatening right then and what it would mean for him.Tsunade had gone still in front of him, trapped in her mind, as all victims were when this happened. He’d wondered if she was fighting it...

Then, he'd been grabbed by foreign hands and forcefully snapped out of it, and realized that if it didn't end soon, he might very well be dying the next minute. Just then, the Genjutsu had finally wrapped itself up upon Itachi's voice uttering a final warning.

Tsunade had not reacted the way he would expect her to, and hadn't even questioned him properly about the occurrence. It made him apprehensive, yet he was glad she hadn’t asked nor expected him to talk about it. He barely understood it himself. He didn’t know how it worked, just that it did. And he knew Itachi had done it to keep him protected while they were separated.

His brother. His Aniki. Why did he have to be so out of reach?

It was a long time before Sasuke fell asleep, and it was an uneasy kind of rest.

00000

Sakura rose from sleep to wakefulness at once, feeling the presence of someone vaguely familiar in the hallway of her apartment. It was still in the middle of the night, as a quick glance at the self-glowing clock on the wall told her.

She quickly slipped out of bed, grabbed a Kunai, and was about to open her room’s door, when she heard the door next to her being ripped open. She heard someone hiss threateningly, and the stranger answering in a calm tone. Beginning to pick up on what was happening, she quickly opened her door as well.

Naruto was already holding Tatakai’s wrist, who still held a Kunai, threatening the ANBU that was standing in the hallway. “Stop it!” he urged. 

“Tatakai, step down!” Sakura ordered in a cold voice, and he finally let his hand sink, still glaring at the intruder mistrustfully.

Seeing that everyone was ready to listen now, the ANBU spoke. “Naruto, Sakura, you’ve been summoned to go to the Hokage’s office, immediately!”

Sakura nodded, and saw Tatakai squinting his eyes in displeasure. She signalled Naruto to get dressed and disappeared into her room while the ANBU, who was no doubt waiting to escort them back, calmly stood outside.

When she reemerged, she saw that Tatakai stood next to Naruto, also fully dressed and equipped.

“You haven’t been summoned; you don’t need to come.”

“I will go where Naruto goes,” he replied in cold determination.

“I still have the final say on that, and don’t think I’ve forgiven you for your behavior yesterday.”

“If you’re ready, then let’s go!” the ANBU interrupted.

Sakura nodded, quickly following when he took off into the night, closely trailed by Naruto and Tatakai.

The slave quickly caught up with her and easily glided through the night by her side. “Is this a mission summoning?” he asked carefully.

“This is an emergency summoning. You really should stay home; you’re not going to be involved anyway.”

“I can tell you right now, about the seal,” he replied quickly, almost desperately.

“No offense, Tatakai, but now is _ not _the time! You had your chance!”

She quickened her pace. He easily matched her speed, not letting it deter him that the talk was clearly over. So she was glad that they were almost at their destination. The door was quickly opened for them when they arrived at Tsunade’s office and Sakura caught a glimpse of Temari inside as she stepped through. She turned around just in time to see two ANBU denying Tatakai entrance, then the door fell into it’s lock.

She had seen the look of seething anger, barely controlled and desperate, in her slave’s eyes at them locking him out. Too bad, his fault. 

00000

Sasuke paced the hallway, still barely controlling himself. This was not good. He didn’t know what was going on, but Naruto had been summoned, which had to mean that they’d leave soon… without him.

And Sakura, understandably, didn’t want to listen now. This was bad. Very bad. His anxiety only rose the longer they stayed inside. He forced himself to sit down, clenching his fists in an attempt to keep himself there and not try to storm the office. Yeah, he’d better not. That surely wouldn’t go over very well.

Time seemed to stretch like it never had, and he felt like everything he had going on—his brother’s request, his resolve to protect Naruto, every effort he’d taken to make it possible—was slipping out of his grasp. He could do nothing.

He tried to be reasonable. Maybe it was something internal? maybe someone was attacking the village? He could accompany Naruto anywhere as long as he stayed within the village borders. He desperately hoped it was something like that.

It didn’t help.

Then, finally, the door opened and a small group of people stepped through. Kakashi was there, so was a young woman with blond hair that he didn’t recognize.

“I’ll send backup to you as soon as possible!” he heard Lady Tsunade call after them, then the door closed.

Sakura didn’t look at him, instead catching the other girl’s gaze. “Just let us pick up some more equipment for the travel. We’ll meet you at the gate in fifteen minutes.”

Sasuke quickly fell in step with Naruto, looking at him questioningly. Understanding his wordless inquiry, Naruto said, “Suna has requested backup. Gaara, the Kazekage, has been kidnapped.”

Sasuke's glare told Naruto exactly what he thought of the idea of him going.

“Gaara is my friend, and I know what they want with him. I have to go stop them!”

“No, you don’t. You shouldn’t—”

“He’ll die! I can’t let that happen.” Naruto growled as they sped back over the village rooftops. 

“We don’t know what my bro—” Sasuke began.

“Look, we know your brother is a member of the Akatsuki, and I am very aware of what they want with Gaara, and me as well! Gaara and I are the same, and I will not go and hide in a hole while Gaara's life is sucked out of him!"

Naruto gave him a hard look before slipping into their apartment. He quickly headed for their room and started rummaging through his part of the closet, grabbing all the things he needed and throwing them onto his bed to pack.

“Akatsuki?”

“It's a criminal organization of rogue Shinobi that recently started to make trouble and are considered extremely dangerous. Didn't you know that your brother is part of it?”

“My brother never told me much about his alliances. He was careful to keep me out of all that. The only reason he introduced Kisame was for training purposes, I think. How do you know he's affiliated with this group, anyway?”

“Sai saw their insignia on the cloaks in their room.”

Sasuke sighed. “You really shouldn't go. You're making it way too easy for them.”

“I already got permission from Baa-chan, though only because she knows I'd have gone anyway, once I got wind of it. Plus, my team's skill set is one of the best suited for this mission. I'm going to show them that no one messes with my friends.”

“It's too dangerous. You're playing right into their hands.”

“I know the risks. I wanted to be a ninja, you know. It's my choice. How can I be Hokage if i can't protect my friends? Anyway, Suna is one of Konoha's strongest allies.”

“What are they after? Why would they want the Kazekage’s life force?”

Sasuke knew at once that he had hit upon a key question, as Naruto immediately clammed up. “I’m sorry, I can't tell you. Mission details.” 

When Sasuke realized that his attempts to get Naruto to see reason were moot, he turned to Sakura’s room, determined to get her to take him with them. She hardly threw him a glance.

“You are not coming. You haven’t done anything to earn my trust so far, so even if you’re _ finally _ prepared to tell me about that seal, that’s too bad. How can we know you’re not working with them in some way?”

Sasuke scowled. 

“What does this Gaara have in common with Naruto? I want to know.”

“They were both very lonely when they grew up.”

“I know that’s not what he meant.”

“Well, ask him yourself; I don’t know,” she snapped, fastening her sleeping bag to the backpack and then getting up. “You know, I was listening to your conversation. If he wants you to know, he’ll tell you himself. I need to go now. Naruto, are you ready?”

“Yep.”

“Well then, Tatakai, take care. You know who to go to if you need anything.” She opened the apartment door and slipped out, picking up speed immediately.

“Wait!” Sasuke jumped after her. “I promise, I’ll tell you everything about the seal on the way.” Desperation was creeping into his voice now, but he couldn’t bring himself to care.

Sakura was looking ahead so as not to miss any steps. With the speed they were travelling with, they’d arrive at the gates in under three minutes. She heard the change in voice, wincing inwardly at realizing how much this was costing him. She’d never have thought he’d plead. He just didn’t seem the type; he seemed much too proud, unapproachable, uncaring of anyone. That he did so now spoke volumes, and she kind of regretted having been so harsh to him beforehand, even though he’d deserved it. 

“Look, we can’t trust your word. I’m not trying to be mean here, but we don’t know nearly enough about your skill set. This is a high-ranking mission and we can’t risk you betraying us or turning out to be a liability. I’m sorry.”

The words were crushing, and Sasuke grit his teeth, knowing there was no changing her mind at this point. He’d be left behind. Then the gates came into view, and his slave seal sent a painful reminder that where he was headed right now was a set boundary, and that if he overstepped it, it would not be pleasant.

The distracting pain had caused him to fall back and he was now running behind the others. It wouldn’t take long now to reach the gate.

He could make out Temari and Kakashi, already waiting. Sakura and Naruto weren’t slowing down.

And then, before he knew it, they had passed the gate and his body screamed in pain.

He fell to his knees, breathing hard. Gritting his teeth as he leaned back, he could only watch their retreating backs. They were soon swallowed up by the forest. While two ninja, who had been guarding the gate, jumped down to see what was wrong with him, only one thought raced through his mind...

Itachi had killed everyone he’d cared about! Itachi would slay them, too.

And he wasn’t there to prevent it.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So yeah, the explosion finally happened. Sasuke and Sakura finally got into a verbal fight, and then an emergency mission got called out just when he had decided he'd open up about the slave seal. Muahaha, and now I'm gonna leave you hanging with this cliffy.
> 
> Feedback would be highly appreciated!


	12. Speculations

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks to WriterofGotham, Sirenwithlegs and NailHangingInTheWall for reviewing. Thanks also to all those who left kudos and so on. I really appreciate it.
> 
> I hope you'll enjoy the chapter:)

Sakura had felt the Subjugation Seal flare up, signalling her that Tatakai had crossed a border. Throwing a quick glance back, she’d seen that he’d fallen to his knees, but since she needed to look where she leapt, the moment had been too fleeting to catch his expression. They were out of sight within moments, and after a while, she felt the seal flare up again in it's non-painful way, and she knew that he was moving back into the village borders.

They made good headway, but the atmosphere was sombre, and Naruto unnaturally quiet.

Sakura's thoughts were repeatedly drawn back to the conversation she had listened in on. Naruto had claimed that he and Gaara were the same. And Tatakai insisted that Naruto hadn't meant loneliness. How had he been so sure? It had taken her years to start guessing into the right direction. Though, she had known for a long time that Naruto was different, that there was something she didn't know about him. 

The chakra cloak that would envelope him when he was in great distress had made her doubt that he was really human at times. She had refused to tell him that he had once hurt her in this state out of fear of how he'd react. Especially after it became clear that he often had blank spots in his memory when the transformations were intense enough to erode his skin. But Naruto was Naruto, loyal to the bone. It was surprising, considering how shitty the villages support had been as he grew up, but he seemed to never stray from his quest to win their approval despite. And he always woke up the same easygoing, insouciant boy he'd always been.

Out of fear for herself and her safety, she had kept her mouth shut about what happened. At first it was worrisome, the thought that something may trigger it again, but that eventually turned into fear for his psyche. She didn’t want him to blame himself for whatever it was that took him over, she could see him try to fight it when it happened.

When it had become too much of a burden, Naruto had left to train outside the village, and when he returned, he wasn’t as tight-lipped about the hints as before. He talked casually about them instead of trying to ignore their existence. By that time, she’d been pretty sure what he was already, so the revelation hadn’t come as much of a surprise.

_ “You already know, don’t you, Sakura?”  _ He’d looked away, refusing to meet her gaze.  _ “That I’ve got the Nine Tailed Fox spirit sealed inside of me.” _

He’d been reluctant, he’d been careful. He hadn’t wanted to be rejected, to lose a friend. Still, he’d finally come clean about it, and she knew it had cost him a lot of worry to get there. And now, he was hunted because of what he contained.

The Akatsuki, a group she hadn’t really heard of before. Apparently, they’d been quite active, though only for those who cared to know. A mercenary group that had seemed to be interested mainly in high-paying missions, much to the delight of many hidden villages that didn’t want to be associated with what these missions entailed or didn’t want to risk their own forces.

Them hunting Jinchuuriki was a new development. And it was highly alarming that they had managed to snatch Gaara. He had always seemed so untouchable with his almost impenetrable sand shield, and these days, with his position as Kazekage.

Sakura knew that this was on Naruto’s mind, too. But even so, he had insisted in joining the mission and putting himself in danger. Because Gaara was his friend.

Tatakai had somehow known that Naruto was in danger, too. He hadn’t known exactly why, but he’d claimed that his brother was the one targeting Naruto. Naruto had mentioned that said brother was Akatsuki… Tatakai hadn't seemed aware of that. It was odd.

00000

After the guards had been assured that Sasuke was fine, he carefully turned around to the borders defined by the seal, avoiding any forward movement that would trigger the seal again. The lingering pain lessened with each step and disappeared once he was inside the gate.

Sasuke stood there, under the gate, not knowing what to do. He felt lost, and eventually just began walking. He wasn’t planning on going back to sleep until the sun rose. He wasn’t planning anything. He just went where his feet carried him, and he didn’t like where he ended up. The desolate grounds of his clan’s property only made him feel more lost.

There were patches of blackened earth and stone. Nature should have been able to reclaim this place much faster than this, but then again, those hadn’t been normal flames. It had been the ultimative fire technique, the black flames. But nature was coming back, slowly in some places, a little faster in others. There were young trees all throughout the ruins, as well as patches of moss and lichen. Conversely, the evidence of the fire still showed through quite strongly in some areas, especially where the houses had stood. Some of the ruins that the fire hadn’t completely devoured were overgrown with vines, whereas in other places, the blackened wood of the posts, grits and ridgepoles were still showcased against the sky.

There was also the lake. The dock had long since withered, and all that was left were a few half-burned poles sticking out of the water. The landscape was idyllic: lush, green grass on untouched shores, sandy beaches in some places, and a tree or two standing close to the water. It was unkempt, but that only added to the lulling atmosphere.

There was a slight breeze grazing the water’s surface, causing it to ripple gently. Sasuke stared at it, lost in thought.

He couldn’t bring himself to think about the fact that he was alone again, left behind again. Unable to follow the one request Itachi had asked of him after the previous one to stay safe, three years ago. He had failed before he’d even started.

He sat at the shore until the sun had risen well over the trees, and his stomach involuntarily made itself known by grumbling. Sighing, he got up. There was no point in staying here. He walked towards the remnants of the main street, where his family’s house had stood. He caught sight of the memorial and the names etched therein, immediately recalling pictures of the event that had been burnt into his mind. He closed his eyes, turned away. He needed a distraction.

_ “... I know what they want with him…”  _ Stupid Naruto, just running into danger. Sasuke kicked a stone, angrily.  _ “... _ _ Gaara and I are the same…”  _ What was he?  _ “...Look, we know your brother is a member of the Akatsuki...”  _ How could a cloak in his brother’s inn room be sufficient evidence? And what did his brother want with such an organization, and why were they targeting Naruto? What was Akatsuki? What was their goal? 

Itachi. He’d encouraged him, tried to get him to connect with people again three years ago. Itachi had done so again now, but with the threat of killing one of them if he wasn’t strong enough. Why did he go after people Sasuke had become acquainted with? Why?  _ Why? _

Why had he killed their family? Why the hell had he let  _ him  _ live?

Sasuke grabbed at his hair. It didn’t make any sense. Why would he go after Naruto? Why would he tell him what he was about to do? What was he missing? What was his brother trying to accomplish?

Connect, build up relationships, only to break them once again? Was that what Itachi was trying to do? Make him panic? Make him stronger by fearing what would happen if he couldn’t protect them himself? Was that his motivation? Was this a second chance?

It certainly was a shitty move on the part of his brother, giving him an order that he couldn’t even follow. Had Itachi known? Was that his intention? Wasn’t it just like last time? It had already been too late when he realized what had happened back then, too. Itachi and his mind games…

He recognized the feeling that was gnawing at him. Dread. Dread at meeting his brother again, dread at not being out there with Naruto. Not because Naruto was in danger, but because Itachi was putting something in motion that Sasuke had no control over. He wasn’t able to intervene, and he felt as if Itachi was mocking him for it.

Naruto was out there, Itachi was—god knows where. And he? He was here, unable to leave. He had no chance.

In his distractedness, he stumbled over something. Really, he needed to calm down, he needed to focus. Breathe.

Sitting back down, he leaned against some ruin that was half covered by vines. He could still do something. He had to be doing  _ something! _ Maybe his brother would let him have a chance if he prepared, or at least, tried to. Maybe his brother would wait until he had a chance to actually protect Naruto. Maybe he’d hold back until then.

He hoped so. His brother, he still couldn’t decide what to make of him. But Itachi had invested a lot of time and effort in training him. He wouldn’t let that go to waste, would he? His brother had always pushed him to his limits and told him to keep a cool head if he wanted to succeed in having the upper hand in a fight. Itachi would give him a chance to protect Naruto, wouldn’t he?

His brother had to realize that Sasuke couldn’t leave the village. He had to realize that he was bound here by the slave seal. That he  _ couldn’t  _ leave.

He took another breath. He had to do something. He’d go crazy if he didn’t. He grit is teeth and stood up. 

He had to see Shikamaru. Maybe the guy could help him find out something, at least. And, if he remembered right, it would take the others three days to get to Suna from here, so he was on his own for the time being.

00000 

Naruto was equally worried. Sasuke asking about why the Akatsuki wanted him, or rather, his brother, since he apparently hadn’t even known that his brother belonged to them. He’d tried to make him see reason but Naruto just knew, he couldn’t just do nothing.

He knew that Sasuke (yeah, the name was weird to use, as he had believed that said boy had died years ago) had tried to let him know why his brother was dangerous, and he felt bad for not being able to share his secret with him. He understood that it must have been a huge step for Sasuke to reveal his identity to him. And he knew he’d mainly done so to make him aware of just how dangerous his brother really was. The Sharingan. He only knew a bit about it from Kakashi, and that was only the parts about being able to anticipate moves and copy them. But Sasuke’s instructions had been very clear… Avoid eye contact at all costs.

But yeah, as shitty as it felt, he still couldn’t blab his secret to Sasuke, even if he had revealed a big secret of his own. It was a state secret, one meant to protect him. He’d kept quiet about it for so long, out of fear of what would happen if outsiders found out. As such, he couldn’t help but dread Sasuke’s reaction. He didn’t know him that well. What if he told Sasuke, only to have him decide that the Akatsuki would better the world by ridding it of a monster? 

It was a well-kept secret, for sure… maybe too well-kept. He suddenly realized that not everybody on his current team knew, either, even though it was a large contributing factor to why he had chosen to take this mission in the first place. He was beginning to think that Temari needed to know, too. Naruto was a target of the Akatsuki. She needed to know about the risk he was taking and be prepared to react if they would decide to  abduct  him during this mission. 

He didn’t think it would be an issue, seeing as Temari was in fact Gaara’s sister. But he had kept it a secret so long and only ever told Sakura, one of his closest friends, in a lonely moment of weakness. It was hard to make the step, even though he knew his fears were unfounded. Temari was the sister of a fellow Jinchuuriki. She knew the truth about what being a Jinchuuriki, a demon’s vessel, entailed. She knew better than the common misconceptions that most people had. And she knew him.

He'd just have to take the step and throw it out there. It was important that she know. He was stronger than hiding like this. It wouldn't take much...

“Uhm, Temari...” Naruto was still jumping ahead, not ready to reveal this face-to-face. “...there's something you should know…”

Naruto noticed himself still pushing off the inevitable, and gave himself another mental push.

“Gaara and I are the same. It's incredibly unreasonable for me to take on this mission, because it's already an established fact that the Akatsuki hunt Jinchuuriki. But Gaara is my friend. I can't just let them take him. I know there will be a time when they will come for the Kyuubi and….. I just thought you should know.”

Naruto pushed further ahead, not looking back to see her reaction.

00000

Shikamaru wasn’t at home, and his mom told Sasuke to look for him at Training Ground 5. Sasuke made his way there, only to find Shikamaru cloud gazing instead of training. He kicked a small stone at Shikamaru’s folded hands. The Nara lazily opened his eyes, looking up at him.

“Hmm?”

“We need to talk.”

Sighing, the other rose, dusting off his pants. Sasuke turned to go, his long, quick strides contrasting with Shikamaru’s leisurely pace.

“Hey, what’s the hurry?” he called out. 

“Team Seven went on a mission last night. Without me.”

“Oh, I see. I can’t get you cleared to follow them, though.”

“I know, I’m not asking for that. I want to talk about how to get cleared more quickly in the future, amongst other things.”

“Sakura gave you some conditions. I heard you weren’t very willing to meet them, up ’til now. And we discussed convincing Kakashi. What are the other things?” 

Sasuke hoped the other would fall for the trick of not relating it back to Naruto, though he doubted it even as he spoke. “I want to know more about the Kazekage.” 

“Why’s that?”

“Because he’s been kidnapped by the Akatsuki.”

“I see,” Shikamaru said tiredly.

They arrived at Sakura’s apartment, and Sasuke quickly opened the still unlocked door, took off his shoes, then took to his room with fast strides.

“Close the door,” he instructed as he sat down on his bed.

Shikamaru took a seat on Naruto’s. “What did Naruto tell you about Gaara?”

Of course Shikamaru wouldn’t fall for it; he’d probably seen right through the question.

Sasuke pressed his lips in a grim line, trying not to show his frustration. “He said, he and Gaara are the same. I want to know what it is that makes them a target.” 

Shikamaru smiled faintly, then replied, “You know it’s not my place to tell.” He stretched his legs, shifting to find a more comfortable position. “Have you thought about what could happen to you if your brother meets Team 7 and reveals that he is an Uchiha during a fight?”

Sasuke shuddered inwardly as he imagined just what that could — no — _ would _ mean. The questions, the mistrust it would shed on him… he couldn’t control all of these factors with other people involved. He couldn’t control their actions.

“I’m sure you see my point. However, if you are aware of the risks, you may be able to do damage control before things get out of hand.”

“What do you suggest? That I go and rat out my brother? He told me to protect Naruto from him. What does that imply? He warned Konoha, on purpose!” Sasuke bit out.

“No, just be aware, should he reveal his identity. I don’t know how you both survived the massacre, but you might want to have some kind of story ready to tell.”

Sasuke grit his teeth. This was terrible. If he told them that Itachi was responsible for the Uchiha massacre, they’d hunt him down. In Sasuke’s opinion, if anyone should take revenge and get answers from his brother as to why he’d done what he’d done, it should be himself. Not some random Konoha Shinobi who had the order to stick their noses into business outside of their concern.

“Tsunade isn’t stupid. She knows that he warned Konoha through the message meant for you. She’s not going to compromise your brother’s doings unless she’s got a very good reason. She’s not going to make a public announcement about the Uchiha Clan survivors, either. She prefers to see how it plays out without having to risk our forces.”

“You don’t understand.”

“Do you want me to guess?”

No, Sasuke most definitely didn’t want Shikamaru to start guessing about his past, especially not about his family’s passing.

“I’ll think about what I want to tell them. What evidence do they have on the event?”

“From what I know, a lot of burned houses and unidentified bodies. Those bodies found in the Uchiha district that weren’t burned were said to have been killed by sword. And no one ever claimed the massacre as their doing, so the rest is speculation. But you already read about it in the public library, didn’t you?”

Sasuke didn’t grace the other with an answer. Shikamaru could think what he wanted. “Can  _ you _ research it?”

“I could, but I’m not sure how that would help you.”

“I’m working for you now, so what about your end of the deal? You told me you’d help me find out about things I want to know.”

“I don’t think you really want to know, that’s the problem. I think you already know what happened that day and I’m not about to waste my time so you can fabricate some lie. It’s evidence we’re talking about, and you are directly related to it. I’d be an accessory to your deceit. I won’t do it.”

“Are you just leading me on with your offer?”

“No, I’m just defining what I’m willing to do and not do. If you go around asking about things that compromise my vow of being a loyal Konoha Shinobi, you must understand my reluctance to answer. I’m not asking you to share your secrets with me, either. ”

“No, you are trying to guess my intentions by analyzing which questions I ask. I know that as well as you do.”

Sasuke was seriously starting to doubt that Shikamaru would ever follow up on his word to actually provide him with help in finding some real answers. He was just wasting his time. The Nara might be content with keeping his identity secret, but Sasuke got the impression that the other was much too lazy to actually do research for him. Maybe keeping his identity secret was just an act of laziness, too. He couldn't be sure. 

“The Hokage knows that I am keeping an eye on you when Sakura’s out of town. My assessment of you will hold a lot of weight, don't forget that. And just because I won't give you direct answers doesn't mean that I'm not going to help. As for your question on how to get cleared for missions, I’ve outlined that to you before, but I can repeat myself. You need to convince Kakashi and Sakura. We talked about Sakura and Kakashi already. I might be able to give you some pointers, but ultimately, I won’t lie. In time, it will depend on how you handle the whole process of obtaining their approval. Trust is not something easily earned, and Kakashi is already suspicious of you. Kakashi tends to look underneath the underneath .  He’s very good at it, too. I think it’s only a question of time until he figures you out.”

Sasuke averted his gaze. “My brother... I don’t want to compromise his plans until I know what he’s trying to do.”

“I think your brother can take care of himself. He seems pretty clever. He’s been trying to make sure that you’d be on our side no matter which one he appears to be on. That’s the impression I get, at least.”

“Yeah, but why?”

“Maybe he wants to make sure you’re not gonna be affiliated with what he’s doing right now to any outside eye. The Akatsuki is a very dangerous organisation.”

“I didn’t even know he belonged to them! And Naruto said that the reason they believe he does is because Sai saw a cloak in their room. How can  _ that  _ be sufficient evidence?” Sasuke bit out in frustration.

“Seeing as Kisame is listed as a member in the bingo books and you confirmed your brother to be his partner, it was already highly likely. And with their recent activities in addition to that message he sent you, there’s little doubt.”

“I want to understand.”

“It’s not my place to tell. But maybe you should start by learning more about your charge, anyway. If you’re serious with protecting him, that is.”

“And how can I? He’s gone.”

“Research.”

Sasuke snorted at that. “Yeah, sure…”

“Just a suggestion. Anyway, you live with him. How difficult can it be to go through his stuff?” 

“Besides the fact that I’ve already seen all his things, since I was the one who helped him pack and move?”

“Well, It can’t hurt to look a second time, can it? Sometimes, you won’t see what’s under your nose until you’re looking for it. Anyway, I need to go; duty calls.”

Sasuke thinned his eyes, not liking how Shikamaru was, once more, putting him off, even though he could understand that the other had a life. Sasuke saw him to the door.

“Well, I hope this helped,” Shikamaru said in closing. “And if you’re going to find out more about Naruto, you may as well start at the beginning.” He winked before turning to take his leave.

Sasuke absentmindedly locked the door behind himself and leaned against it, thinking of what to do now. What a strange last suggestion.

00000

As much as Shikamaru made it appear that he was too lazy to do proper research, he was in fact very much researching it, and the results were troubling. Danzo had lead the investigation into the Uchiha massacre. The body count had been difficult, as the centre where the fire had spread from had burned everything in its wake. The clan head’s family had not been found among the carnage, which was reasonable, having seen pictures of the blackened pit that used to be their house. The same had been the case with surrounding houses and families. The fire hadn’t consumed the whole district, and the further out they had investigated, the more remains they had found on its outskirts.

Still, Danzo had promoted the belief that they had all died, and after a couple of years, the talk about the case had cooled. Sometimes people with a genotype similar to Uchiha were still scrutinized, but the lack of any reappearance of the infamous clan abilities anywhere else had eventually caused the gossip to calm down, more or less. The story had gotten old, and with the lack of any related news, probably grew boring.

It didn’t explain Danzo’s involvement, but as expected, Danzo hadn’t left many trails to follow. Shikamaru had the sneaking suspicion that the massacre wasn’t based on an internal quarrel, but had been a systematic move to eliminate them. The question was, why? And, of course, it would also be interesting to know who had managed to kill an entire clan with active ninja and a formidable, dare-say infamous, Kekkei Genkai.

Even if it had been a clan member they had trusted, one could have expected that the bloodshed would have eventually alerted someone in the clan. And, in turn, that should have caused a ruckus, and a lot of victims either running away or taking up arms. There had been no traces suggesting any of that, which made it probable that multiple people had systematically killed the clan members from strategic vantage points, so as to not let anyone escape.

It was also suspected that by the time the fire had broken out, everyone had been dealt with. All killings had been clean. Still, the official report suggested that it had been an internal quarrel. And, seeing that the Uchiha compound burned down by a suspicious fire, that supposition wasn’t entirely unreasonable, considering that the Uchiha had many clan-specific Katon Jutsu.

Still, seeing that Danzo most likely was involved in some way, Shikamaru doubted that that was entirely true. So, he had tried to figure out Danzo, but the man covered his tracks well, and Shikamaru didn't want to risk his suspicions being discovered and Danzo alerted. He had to be careful.

And while Tatakai (or should he start referring to him by his real name in his head now?) might have held some information that could have helped to solve the puzzle, he wondered if it was a good idea to include him.

If his suspicions were correct, and the clan had been eliminated on orders, then he could understand why Konoha had kept quiet about it. It made him wonder how the siblings had escaped, or if the elder brother had in fact been part of the team that had carried out this order and been able to hide his younger brother and take him away afterwards.

Or maybe there was a different explanation for it. He couldn’t know without asking Tatakai about it. He still played with that thought, though he could see how it might be unwise.

What really made him wonder, though, was why the Uchiha clan had to be eliminated in the first place. He wondered what Tatakai believed. He didn’t seem to have much animosity toward Konoha, so he must have been lead to believe that Konoha had nothing to do with it.

It was obvious that Tatakai was trying to figure out something related to it, though. He hadn’t directly reacted to Shikamaru’s suggestion that he had read the public version, but if he indeed had been researching the event and possible reasons behind it, then it would be good for Shikamaru to learn the truth, just to predict how he was going to interpret any puzzle pieces he might discover.

00000

Sasuke considered Shikamaru’s suggestion of finding out more about Naruto... starting at the beginning. Well, that would be easier said than done. Naruto was an orphan. Was he supposed to find out about his parents? Or find out his birthday? What for?

He ended up looking through Naruto’s stuff anyway, carefully, so as not to upset anything. As he looked over the contents of the nightstand, he suddenly realized just how easy it would be for someone to go through his own stuff, as well. He quickly decided that he couldn’t risk Itachi’s drawing and the pictures Shikamaru had left him laying around any longer.

He considered burning them. It would have been the cleanest way, but he just couldn’t bring himself to do it. In the end, he drew another storage seal, sealing them into one of the inside covers of his sketchbook.

The search proved fruitless. Mainly because he already knew what stuff Naruto had brought as he’d helped him pack them in the first place. Naruto didn’t have very many possessions, but he was obviously attached to some keepsakes he had collected over the years. He even remembered to check the calendar, but there was no note that would have hinted at when his birthday could be.

Sasuke wondered if there was any way to look into Naruto’s family register. But then he recalled that maybe Sakura had written it on her calendar. She certainly was meticulous enough for him to find it likely. There was just one problem. Her calendar was in her room, which was somewhere he wasn’t supposed to go. How had she phrased it? If he recalled right, she’d said: “ _ My room is off limits if I'm not around _ …” 

If that really was exactly how she had worded it, then he was lucky. It wouldn’t stop him from going into her room. It wouldn’t even notify her. He approached the door carefully, thinking about what he was about to do. The seal stayed quiet. He smirked, carefully pushing the door handle down and keeping an eye out for traps. He didn’t think she had trapped her room, but it was better to be prepared, just in case. 

She seemed to not have, and he was at the calendar quickly. It displayed a different picture than the last time he’d been there **—** a painting of a Katsura tree in bloom, whereas last time, it had been a painting of blooming rhododendra. He quickly took it from the nail and flipped it to its cover page.

“A Bit of Spring Every Month” was the title.

Well, that calendar was certainly fitting for someone named Sakura. He flipped it to January and started looking through the dates. 

He’d been right in his guess that she’d have birthdays there, including her own. There were also some mention of other dates, but she’d coded them, probably out of lack of space. He didn’t waste time trying to figure out their meaning; he was trying to find Naruto’s name in there.

He found it in October... October 10th to be specific. Satisfied, he put the calendar back into its original position, with the Katsura tree displayed, and quietly left the room.

Back in his own four walls, he wondered how on earth he had thought that a birthday could tell him something about Naruto. After he looked through Naruto’s stuff a second time, even picked the lock to his apartment to get more answers, he gave up. He’d already derived all he could from Naruto’s living quarters and belongings. He’d seen it all before, it fit his personality, and it gave away nothing about whatever it was he was hiding.

At a lack for a better idea, he decided to hit the public library. He was sure that Shikamaru had been hinting at something when he suggested finding out more about Naruto, about the person he was trying to protect. And he was sure that the mention of starting to search at the beginning hadn’t been a random comment to remind him, but was in fact a carefully formulated hint. So, even if it was just for the sake of having a distraction, he was going to look it up. And while he was at it, he figured he might as well try and see if he could find out anything about the Kazekage.

On the way there, he thought about when he’d read up on Konoha’s history, the first time Sakura had left him behind. He suspected that Shikamaru had somehow guessed what he’d been trying to discover. He’d been trying to find out how the massacre fit into all the events that shaped Konoha, if Itachi possibly could have had a reason other than just snapping under the pressure that day. He’d tried to understand the political context of that time, which had been more turbulent than it was nowadays. He’d wanted to know more about his clan, his heritage, and their place in society as Konoha’s police force.

Had he read anything about the time Naruto had been born?  Naruto had to be about the same age as Sasuke. That’s when it suddenly came to mind. A page of a history book. October 10th: The day where the Nine-Tailed Fox Spirit had attacked Konoha. The day the fourth Hokage had saved Konoha from certain destruction, defeating said spirit and losing his life in the process.

Stunned, he paused, letting the thought pass through his mind again before he picked up his walk, trying to figure out how this all related back to Naruto. It certainly had not been an easy day to be born, he supposed. But what did that event have to do with Naruto?  _ Did _ it have to do with Naruto? If so, how?

It didn’t make any sense other than that said birthday left a lot of horrible memories in people’s minds. Naruto couldn’t have had any part in what happened that day; he'd simply been too young. From what Sasuke remembered, he’d been orphaned already by the time they had entered the academy. Had he lost his parents to the Kyuubi’s attack?

Did being an orphan have anything to do with his being a target? But he knew it couldn’t have been loneliness. No one would kidnap anyone just because the victim was lonely. Anyway, Naruto wasn’t lonely now, or was he?

Well, he was almost at the library, so he figured he might as well reread about the event. He’d rather not think about what Naruto was walking into so foolishly right now.

Once inside, he quickly went to the history section and picked out his lecture, sitting down at a free table to read. It was pretty much as he remembered, and there was no hint that lead back to Naruto except that it apparently was his birth date. Maybe he'd gotten the year wrong after all, but no book mentioned any other event that would have happened on October 10th, unless one counted the festival celebrating the Kyuubi's defeat, but that, again, was tied back to the main event. 

Frustrated, he put the book down, turning another page without much motivation left. But the page revealed an illustration that actually made him pause and stare. It showed a man that looked like Naruto. He knew it wasn’t Naruto, since the man was older than they were, had a different hairstyle, a slightly different facial structure and no strange marks on his cheeks. But the resemblance was uncanny. 

He looked down at the caption:

_ Namikaze Minato, the Fourth Hokage _

It took a moment to sink in. It sent his thoughts spinning. Naruto looked like the fourth Hokage. Therefore, Naruto was related to the fourth Hokage?! But he had seen no pictures of him in Naruto’s things. And Naruto’s surname was Uzumaki, not Namikaze. But the fourth had died on October 10th, his mind helpfully supplied.

It was then that he recalled having picked out that book containing the notes of the fourth Hokage as material to study with Naruto.  _ Namikaze Minato _ … Neither name nor title had triggered a reaction from Naruto.

Did he even know that he looked like the Fourth Hokage? How had Sasuke himself never realized that the Fourth's stone face on the Hokage monument shared such similarities with Naruto? Well, he suspected he hadn't seen it from afar very often. But Naruto surely had.

Sasuke shook his head in an attempt to clear his mind. So, Naruto was born on the day the Fourth died, and he looked like him. Okay… that didn't really help him figure out this mess. The Fourth was dead, so even if Naruto was related to him, he couldn't really be used to force his hand, which had been the only somewhat reasonable thought that he ended up having about this likely connection.

After two more books that didn't tell him anything new, he decided that he had milked this particular hint enough.

He thought about tracking down Naruto's last name, and went to search for books that could hold that information. The only thing he found, however, was a list of the names of Konoha's native clans. Uzumaki wasn't listed among them, so he abandoned that idea, too, finally moving to the hint Naruto himself had given him, probably without meaning to.

Gaara, as Kazekage, must be listed in the more recent books about Sunagakure. So he went to search for that.

He found Gaara indeed:

Sabaku no Gaara, the fifth Kazekage was the third child of Rasa, the fourth Kazekage. His mother had died giving birth to him, and apparently, he had Shukaku, the One-Tail, sealed inside of him, which made him a Jinchuuriki. A weapon for the village. 

The text went on about his lonely childhood, his insomnia, and his bloodlust due to Shukaku's influence. But they also mentioned how he had been trying to redeem himself in recent years by being a good ruler.

The next two paragraphs focused on his skill, covering his Kekkei Genkai and ultimate defence he was famous for.

Then, it talked about the alliance he had arranged with Konoha, and some other achievements during his rule so far.

Sasuke compared what he knew about Gaara and Naruto. Sakura had probably been right about the loneliness **—** they had both lost their mothers very early on. Sasuke wondered if Naruto's mother had also died giving birth to him.

Then, if he believed the resemblance between Naruto and the fourth Hokage to mean anything, they could be closely related. Gaara and the fourth Kazekage were, at least. That would make one more parallel. Another parallel alongside this one was that both of those leaders had been long dead, though Rasa's death had been much more recent than Minato's. So it couldn't be ransom or blackmail they wanted them for. His mind was just going in circles. What else?

Mention of tailed beasts was made in both the story of Naruto's birth date as well as Gaara's tale. The only other connection he could see was that Gaara was in the same position that Naruto was aiming for in his own village.

Being the village leader, he could see a couple of reasons why people might target him, but they had to be incredibly powerful to pull it off. You didn't become a Kage of a village for nothing. And Naruto hadn't even earned the position yet.

Increasingly frustrated at the lack of progress, Sasuke browsed the shelves again. As he passed the familiar titles, he didn't quite realize that he had moved past the history section until a title sprang at him.

_ The Kyuubi: Facts and Speculations on the Nine-Tails _

Well, he might as well read it. But he had already spent quite a while in the library, so he decided to go to the training ground for a break first. He went to the counter to check the book out, then left the library.

00000

Traveling long distances left a lot of time to think. Yes, one had to stay alert, but that didn’t mean that the focus was solely on keeping up the radar. Quite the opposite, try to do that too rigidly and you would most likely blend out things because the attention would start to fixate on one thing too much. So, Kakashi kept his mind busy with considering the different aspects of the situation and how they might influence the outcome.

The Akatsuki would have a three-and-a-half days’ headstart to them, probably a bit more. They had to expect Gaara to be incapacitated. And if the Akatsuki had begun to extract Shukaku, the One-Tail, from Gaara, Gaara’s body would start to give out eventually. Time was of the essence.

He counted on some kinds of measures by the Akatsuki to delay them. He considered the possibility of them using this chance to lure Naruto to them, to danger. That boy, Tatakai, had been very adamant about his brother being dangerous and that it was irresponsible of Naruto to even go on this mission. Or so, Sakura had told him, after Naruto had admitted to Temari that he was a Jinchuuriki like Gaara.

This brother, and the influence he had on this situation so far, was also disturbing. Kakashi knew about the order that had been given to Tatakai. He believed that Tatakai’s concern wasn’t out of place. He’d seen the boy’s skill, and it was likely that if this brother hadn’t trained Tatakai himself, that he’d at the very least trained alongside him. So Tatakai would know his fighting style and strategies well.

Still, he was convinced that his decision to not take him on this trip was a good one, as they didn’t know Tatakai well enough to know his interpretation of the order or how well he could act to deceive them when he had a goal in mind. And he really didn’t want to be caught up in a fight between brothers in the middle of a mission, much less a reunion intended to possibly turn Tatakai against them. Even though it was now clear that this brother belonged to Akatsuki and probably hadn’t picked out Naruto as a victim just because of his proximity to Tatakai, but rather as a result of being part of that organisation, it was better to be cautious.

So yeah, it was reasonable for Tatakai to stay back for the time being. He didn’t know, however, how said brother would react to the fact that Tatakai wasn’t part of this mission. Kakashi had no means to judge this brother’s character. He hadn’t met him, and Sai’s assessment could only be used as a pointer. Calculating, emotionless, very dangerous. It was a worrying bit of estimation to build upon. But indirectly, he’d warned Konoha of danger. It might just be an elaborate ploy to get them to trust Tatakai and to get him out of the village and into the field. Who knew?

Why would they have Konoha’s interest in mind unless they had some ties back there?

The thought lead him to earlier contemplations. Tatakai's knowledge of ANBU hand signs… could it be that this brother had taught Tatakai these signs? Could it be that his brother had been in the ANBU at some point? Had it been the regular faction or Danzo’s?

The Danzo theory still seemed unlikely for the same reasons as before. He’d gone and picked out a random slave house that Tatakai had been to and requested and found the corresponding papers, which backed up the authenticity of the documents and the history they declared. He must have been free before capture. Anyway, Danzo wouldn’t have gone and freed a slave he trained, and the fact that this brother was now Akatsuki, would have meant a remarkable skillset. Danzo wouldn’t just have let someone like that go free. Someone under Danzo’s rule wouldn’t have let themselves be captured and enslaved, either.

He was quite sure that Tatakai himself hadn’t been in the regular ANBU. Kakashi would have heard about someone entering so young. Maybe his brother? How old was he? Sai hadn’t mentioned an estimation of age, but Kakashi guessed him to be older than Tatakai. Had he been in ANBU? Had Kakashi known him?

There weren't very many that had entered the ANBU around 13, which would be a probable age for said brother to have been. There was only one who had been younger, but he had been dead for… wait… didn’t the Weasel have a younger brother?

Tatakai looked suspiciously similar to the Weasel, and it would explain how Tatakai had come to know ANBU hand signing. It might explain the reaction to the Sharingan, as well. If Kakashi remembered right, the slave’s age could match with how old he believed the younger brother to be... but that would mean that Itachi was still alive!

It would mean that… it could mean that… the massacre…. Kakashi had wondered how anyone could have killed Itachi, but he’d seen the pictures of the crime scene. A blackened pit.  _ Assumed dead. _

They had found nothing of the clan head’s family. Out of the most devastating radius of the fire, they had found remains of terribly shriveled, unidentifiable organs. And more outwards, they had found more recognizable means of remains. But the black flames had burned right into the grounds of the clan head’s house, most likely burning every corpse in it to ash.

If Itachi was indeed still alive, did that mean that Itachi had a hand in the massacre, or was he a lucky survivor because he’d found a way for he and his brother to escape? Were there more survivors? And how had they stayed in hiding for this long? Wouldn’t that mean that from what they knew about Tatakai’s brother, that Itachi was a member of Akatsuki now? Why? How? There had been no trace to follow that would have lead them to believe he was even alive. But if he indeed was, and had gained the Akatsuki’s attention, it must mean that skill must have exceeded to crazy levels since his ANBU times...

Kakashi knew his thoughts were spiraling. He needed to stop. They might meet said brother, and he could possibly confirm it before he returned to the village, but he couldn’t do anything right now. He had a mission to accomplish, and this was easily becoming one of the most thought-consuming distractions he’d had in a long while. He needed to focus on getting to Suna, so he decided to ban further speculation. However, it didn’t keep the thoughts from returning for long; question after question arose. He didn’t know what to believe, but he knew now wasn’t the time, nor did he have the proof to confirm this line of thought. After all, he’d assumed Itachi dead for years. 

00000

Sasuke had worked himself into the ground, working out his frustrations on very little sleep. He had to remember to pace himself. They were only on their way to Suna now; they wouldn’t arrive there for another two days. Only then would their mission truly start, and he had no idea when they would return. Never had he dreaded waiting this much.

He was lucky that his body gave in to sleep rather quickly, because his thoughts were still restlessly churning inside a trance-like state of mind.

The next morning, he woke up late, leisurely made breakfast and did the cleaning that would have been Sakura’s and Naruto’s job, according to their new, fancy plan. He grit his teeth at that. Yeah, of course, just as expected, the others left on a mission without him, rendering the lovely idea of splitting up the housework utterly useless.

Whatever, at least it kept him busy for an hour.

The doorbell rang at around 10:30 AM. He hadn’t expected anyone, and he wasn’t really looking forward to another talk with Shikamaru. Unfounded apprehension sitting deep in his stomach, he made his way to the door. But the person visiting him wasn’t Shikamaru, it was Sai. And for once, he wasn’t flashing his weird smile.

"I returned just this morning and heard the others went on a mission."

"Yeah," Sasuke said flatly, letting the other in.

He lead Sai back to his room without offering him anything to drink. He’d completely forgotten about Sai’s separate mission. It was weird to feel glad for the other boy’s return. Sai, though weird, was an alternative to Shikamaru, whom Sasuke really didn’t know how to feel about. And Sai had not only met his brother, but he also knew life with a slave seal.

He sat down on his bed. “What do you know?” he asked as soon as the room’s door had fallen into its lock.

“They don’t often speak of other people’s missions. It prevents people from worrying about the specifics, even if it is your own team. It’s why we usually stop by and let the others know we’re leaving and how long we might be gone, if we can.”

“I can tell you what I know.”

“I’m listening.”

“It was an emergency summoning in the middle of the night. They’re on their way to Suna. The Kazekage has been kidnapped, apparently by the Akatsuki.”

“I see,” Sai said thoughtfully.

“Are you going to tell me what you know, or are you going to be like the rest?” Sasuke prodded.

“It depends on the information.”

Sasuke resisted the urge to roll his eyes and, instead, decided to go into related matters first. Not that he had much hope that his tactics would work this time...

“What did you tell Konoha about my brother? And sit down, you’re not on a mission report!” Sasuke motioned towards Naruto’s bed, as Sai was still awkwardly standing in the middle of the room. 

“I reported his messages, and I described what I saw in their room.”

“They don’t have any drawings of him done by you, do they?”

“Your brother? No, no one has asked yet.”

“Promise me that you won’t draw him for them!”

“I don’t think it will make a difference in the long run. I delivered the message to you. Your brother will show himself at some point.”

“Is it true that you saw Akatsuki cloaks in their room? Two of them?”

“Yes.”

They fell into silence as Sasuke tried to find words. He reluctantly set out to ask his next question, however, as he wanted to move this conversation forward.

“The Akatsuki are powerful, and Konoha knows it, don’t they?”

“Yes, they do.”

“If they know that Naruto is a target, why are they letting him go on this mission?”

“Naruto is one of a kind. You probably know that by now. And once he’s set his mind on something, it’s hard to convince him to act otherwise.”

“They abducted the Kazekage. I may not know him personally, but he’s a  _ Kage _ , he’s bound to be powerful in his own right. What makes Naruto think he’s got a chance?”

“It’s not about having a chance, it’s about saving a friend.”

“It’s stupid to put yourself in danger if the chances of saving that person are slim in the first place.”

“Naruto doesn’t care about that.”

“Is he suicidal?”

Sai chuckled quietly. “No, he’s got a very strong wish to live. And he isn’t alone; Sakura and Kakashi are there with him.”

“He is a target, he knows it. I warned him, but he just said he knew what they wanted of him and the Kazekage, and that he wouldn’t let them suck out his life-force. But they already have the Kazekage,  _ and _ a head-start… It’s so irresponsible. They’ll have him right where they want him once they’re done with the Kazekage. He’ll follow them right into their lair.”

Sasuke was careful not to mention anything that could give away that he didn’t know what Naruto had meant with his comment about life-force. Maybe Sai would let something slip.

“It’s not that simple. A jutsu like that likely requires a ton of chakra. I doubt they’d be able to do it in quick succession like that. And they’d still have to get Gaara to their lair and fend off any squads sent to retrieve him. They’d focus on the delay, not on Naruto’s capture.”

“Naruto’s team is one man down. The Hokage is sending a back-up team, but that will cause even more of a delay.”

“And you’ve been left behind and can’t follow your brother’s request, because you’re not cleared for missions yet.” Sai said in his blunt, direct way.

“Yes,” Sasuke bit out grudgingly.

“You know, you got a way of finding out what’s going on on their end. It’s not the same, but at least you may be able to hear about their progress and setbacks. You could also report it to the Hokage directly and immediately.”

“Are you serious? You know what that would mean, don’t you?! I’d be revealing the seal’s secrets, I’d be at Sakura’s mercy. As long as she doesn’t know about it, she can’t use it!”

“You will have to eventually tell her something to get her to trust you. I don’t care how you handle the slave seal’s secrets. My master knows most of them, so it’s not like it will have any effect on how my master treats me. Just think about it. The decision is yours.”

“Hn,” Sasuke grunted unwilling.

Sai left soon after, to Sasuke’s frustration, without revealing anything about the relation between Naruto and the Kazekage. Well, maybe next time!

He went to train, feeling restless. He missed his practice katana, but he had no money for a replacement or a real sword, much less one of his preference. Instead, he familiarized himself with the equipment Naruto had gifted him with. The thought however didn’t want to leave him alone. If he just could get Sakura to listen to him for a minute, would he be able to convince her? He knew they were on a mission. If he decided to risk it, he’d have to make his move before they arrived at Suna. The sooner, the better. But he felt uneasy about it.

Contacting her would require him to explain how it worked. He might not have to tell her everything, but this would be a direct ticket for her to his mind. If she learned how to issue an order he had to follow, she would be able to do so with merely a bit of chakra and a thought. He’d be at her mercy, anytime, anywhere.

Damn. There was a reason why slaves never even hinted that these seal features existed. It was safer if the owners didn’t even start guessing about something like this being possible.

Eventually, he decided to take a break and eat lunch at home. After his meal, he decided to start on the lecture about the Kyuubi, opening the book’s first page. A feudal-style drawing of the Nine-Tailed Fox spirit covered the front page, repeating the title:  _ The Kyuubi: Facts and Speculations on the Nine-Tails _

He started from the beginning, reading about the definition of the Biju as chakra-monsters and the history of how they had come into existence… the splitting of the Ten-Tails into nine separate entities by a sage who had also named them. It was a bit long-winded, but Sasuke was getting the message. Still, his thoughts kept returning to the idea Sai had planted.

The fact that Naruto could be intercepted by Itachi at any time, and Sasuke wouldn’t be able to do anything to stop him, didn’t sit well with him. Not knowing what was happening was making him nervous... though, the thought of contacting Sakura was, too.

However, he knew Sakura now, so he wasn’t actually all that afraid that she’d use the knowledge to his detriment, if he was honest.

It would only be a small consolation, but if she would let him know how things were on her side, then he wouldn’t be driving himself crazy with wondering about it. In the late afternoon, he decided that he needed to at least try. 

Reluctantly, he lifted a hand to his slave seal, pushing a tiny amount of chakra into it. 

00000

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I've been kinda depressed lately, I've been pressuring myself a lot, I guess. final year of my education, finals approaching, and general tiredness that reflects in the motivation to write, plus a shitty start into the new year with my health (nothing bad, but just tearing at the energy reserves) it's been hard lately. I can't get my mind to focus on story writing lately, there's no real reason other that I'm probably overworked, overwhelmed and all. I can only say, even though I don't feel up to writing, I do miss it.  
Thing is, after this chapter, I've only gotten one more chapter written up. I don't know when I'll be releasing that here, but just know that the waits for new chapters will get longer pretty soon. I don't know when I'll get my shit together to keep writing, I always do, I just feel blocked rightnow.  
Discussions on the story would be highly appreciated to maybe get me a bit of a jump-start again.
> 
> In any case, thank you for reading. Take care!


	13. Connections

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Trying something new, the breaks are numbered now, I used it to orient myself in the text while writing and thought that maybe it could stand as a substitute for page numbers when reading, too. Just letting you know.
> 
> A big thanks goes to my friend Nicole for proofreading this chapter!

They were still going fast when Sakura felt her seal buzz gently. She furrowed her brows, trying to figure out what it meant, as it didn’t seem to be accompanied by an awareness of what was happening. It didn’t tell her what was going on like it had when Tatakai had crossed the border in an attempt to follow them. 

She wondered if she should find out what this was about now, so that it would not happen again in the middle of a fight later and distract her then… though, to be honest, it wasn’t a bothersome buzz. It felt a bit like a request to be heard. Nonintrusive, gentle, and easy to push aside…

The buzzing stopped before she had come to a decision. It made her wonder all the more.

The landscape had been changing and had become drier, hotter, but she couldn’t admire its beauty anyway; they were going too fast for that. Naruto still wasn’t talking and the others weren’t conversing much, either, so she was on her own and her thoughts tenaciously returned to the seal and what the reason might have been for her to feel it.

Tatakai knew they were on a mission. He knew it might get dangerous. What was he doing to get her seal to respond? It had to be his doing! The buzz, unlike other times, left her frustratingly clueless, though.

She rose a hand to the seal, activating it quickly, probing for answers. The response came just a moment later as a simple, almost vocal thought in her mind accompanied by the same buzzy feeling she’d felt before.

_ ‘Hear me out.’ _

It was his voice. It wasn’t a product of physical soundwaves, but the message carried all the intonations she had come to associate with his way of voicing things.

Annoyed that he dared to put out a request that sounded like an order, she directed her thoughts to form a response, wondering if that was enough.  _ Why? What are you doing? What do you want? _

She let her hand sink, focusing on the road ahead while she waited for a reply, wondering if he would actually grace her with a reason. She felt the buzz again, but no words resounded in her mind this time. The sensation faded out, then started up again. Confused, she raised her hand to the seal again, supplying it with chakra and was immediately rewarded with words.

_ ‘-nection. Damn… wouldn’t even let me…’ _ There was a short pause that felt like recollecting and then, in a calmer manner, his voice resounded again.  _ ‘You need to supply your seal with chakra to hear me.’ _ His voiceless intonation came over as frustrated.

_ How the hell should I know? _

She directed her chakra into the seal, then slowly lifted her fingers, focusing on maintaining the flow without her hand.

_ ‘Hn.’  _ It didn’t even sound apologetic.  _ ‘At least don’t break off connection until I’m done explaining.’ _

_ You know that I’m on a mission. What is so important that you must suddenly talk to me? You never saw the need before, either. And we’ve gone over this, you’re staying in Konoha. You’re not gonna be cleared for such high-ranking missions for a while yet. _

_ ‘It’s not about that...’ _

She almost snorted at that. He was finally making an effort to talk to her, even if it was in the most unorthodox manner. Well, she could kinda understand why distance-wise, but still...

_ ‘... This is one of the slave seal's functions; I can only request to be heard. You can always reach me immediately. It’s one of the fastest, most direct and most inconspicuous ways to communicate over great distances that I know of. I suggest we make use of it.’ _

_ You want me to inform you about our situation!  _ Sakura directed her thoughts in a derisive snide.

He didn’t react to the tone.  _ ‘Yes… I could also update the Hokage this way, if needed.’ _

_ Clever, but don’t think I don’t know that you’re suggesting this for yourself first and foremost. _

_ ‘Hn.’ _ He didn’t deny it _ . ‘Think about it,” _ he requested.

_ I will discuss it with the rest of the team _ , she replied, then severed the connection, focusing back on the sandy road. It only briefly went through her head that Tatakai had actually started to explain the slave seal as she called out to Kakashi.

“Kakashi Sensei?” 

The other caught up with her quickly. “Yes, Sakura?”

“Tatakai just contacted me through the seal. It appears we can communicate telepathically and he offered to relay any messages to Tsunade if we keep him updated on our status. What do you think?”

Kakashi thought about it. The boy they’d left behind had reached out on his own and offered himself up as a direct link to inform the Hokage. Of course, the initiative was based on the boy’s own interest to know how they fared, but such a link could prove really useful, should they need it.

Furthermore, revealing the possibility of such a way of communicating through the slave seal was a first step in the right direction for integrating him into their team properly. And Kakashi could only imagine how intimate it must have felt, how vulnerable it made him to Sakura’s command.

It seemed that Tatakai had finally realized what he wanted and started taking real measures. If they planted good questions, they would easily be able to verify if he really sought out the Hokage and delivered any messages sent. The Hokage would probably do the same.

He allowed Sakura to handle the possibility as she saw fit.

00100

Sasuke breathed out in relief. That had gone better than expected. He’d fully been prepared to be cut off at any time, if she even let the talk happen at all. He knew he’d certainly pissed her off enough before they’d dispatched to justify it. She hadn’t. She’d listened instead of assuming what it was about and cutting him off immediately. Of course she’d thought it was about him seeking her permission to follow them, but though it had been on his mind, it hadn’t been his goal. He’d been realistic enough to know not to bring it up or encourage her guess when she did. And while she had called him out on his strategy, she’d at least let him know that it wasn’t a “no” yet, just that she couldn’t decide alone.

He knew that this telepathic connection that had been bestowed on him with the slave seal could be really advantageous. He actually didn’t mind using it, but it meant more people knowing about it, and the fact that his ability to communicate was limited to the willingness of his owner to receive him. Knowing about it and realizing how it worked would also mean that Sakura had the power to immediately, and at any time or place, change rules and allow or deny things. He wouldn’t be able to count on the established rules anymore when she went away.

But at least he might not be completely cut off from what was happening on their side now.

He sighed, then finally got up to do a second training session. He met Sai, who apparently had the same idea. They ended up training together for a while, ending the session with a long, drawn out spar.

Sasuke slept a bit better that night.

00200

The third day following Team 7’s departure, Sasuke was restless. He hadn't heard back from Sakura, and he wasn't sure what it meant or if he could expect her to inform him about her decision.

He anxiously eyed the clock. There was still a good deal of time to kill until he was to meet Sai for their afternoon training session. In the meantime, he resolved to distract himself with some reading.

The book about the Kyuubi proved to be a decent distraction. It explained that the Tailed Beasts had been sent to different regions and that hidden villages had eventually started capturing them and using them as weapons in an attempt to gain military strength. The Kyuubi had become Konoha’s Bijuu.

Sasuke carefully read the section about Jinchuuriki, having recognized the term from the description of the Kazekage. He was glad for the more specific explanation as opposed to the vague idea he had entertained in his head.

Jin-chuu-riki… "human-support-power." That’s what those who had a tailed beast sealed inside of them were called.

The text went on about chakra compatibility between host and demon to assure their survival. It stated that the longer the demon was hosted, the more its chakra would align with said host’s, and that the jinchuuriki could then learn how to harness the Tailed Beast’s powers. It also stated that an extraction would usually result in the death of the Jinchuuriki. Furthermore, if a Jinchuuriki was dying of natural causes, the Tailed Beast, being purely a chakra-being would be resurrected by reaccumulating its dispersed chakra. Therefore, it usually would be extracted and resealed before a Jinchuuriki died of old age.

The sealing techniques were quite complex and left largely unexplained, but it was mentioned that these seals could weaken and should be monitored. It was also mentioned specifically that pregnancies were dangerous for a female host because it weakened them significantly.

A thought was starting to form in Sasuke’s mind. Could it be that Naruto was connected to the events of October 10th, sixteen years ago, after all? He’d been born on the day of the Kyuubi’s attack. Could his mother possibly have been a Jinchuuriki? It would explain some things.

He continued reading, now entering the chapter about the Kyuubi’s tale. The book was ridiculously long-winded in its storytelling, but Sasuke got the gist of things...

After dividing the Ten-Tails into nine entities, the Kyuubi was said to roam the forests that would later become the Land of Fire. There were accounts of the Kyuubi bringing fear and disaster, and by the time Konoha was formed, the beast had gained quite a reputation.

Sasuke did a double-take when the name “Uchiha” was mentioned. The book stated that after his desertion from Konoha, Uchiha Madara controlled the Kyuubi with the help of his Sharingan to fight Hashirama Senju, the First Hokage, in an attempt to exact revenge. Hashirama was able to break the Kyuubi away from Madara’s control, and subdue it in the process.

Sasuke shuddered and read on about Senju deeming it too dangerous to let the Kyuubi roam freely and his search for a suitable host to become a Jinchuuriki. 

Sasuke smirked, pleased when the Uzumaki clan was mentioned. Apparently, Mito from the Uzumaki clan (known for their Fujin-, their sealing-jutsu), had not only had the skill to conduct the sealing, but also had compatible chakra. She became the first Jinchuuriki of the Nine-Tails. And when she had grown old of age, the Kyuubi was transferred to Uzumaki Kushina, who later became Namikaze Minato’s wife.

_ Ha! _ Sasuke thought. He’d known it, this must have been Uzumaki Naruto’s mother, and it also cleared up precisely how he was related to the Fourth Hokage.

Pleased with finally having made progress with the hunt for clues, and feeling slightly hungry, he decided to take a break and cooked a simple meal. After that, he left early for the training ground he’d later meet Sai at. He wanted to do some individual training before their spar.

Upon arriving there, he went through some exercises, but half an hour before Sai would arrive, he took a break so as to be in top condition. Thus, his thoughts traveled back to his research.

Shikamaru’s hint had proven fruitful, though it had taken a while to find the right place to hunt for information and properly analyze it. Maybe Shikamaru wasn’t that bad, though Sasuke was still unhappy about how the Nara had handled his situations and requests so far.

Then, he recalled the circumstances under which Naruto had left, which made him recall his brother and what Naruto had said about him and the situation: 

_ “ _ _ Look, we know your brother is a member of the Akatsuki, and I am very aware of what they want with Gaara, and me as well! Gaara and I are the same, and I will not go and hide in a hole while Gaara's life is sucked out of him!" _

The way he worded it, actually, after having read that book... Naruto had made it seem as if he were a Jinchuuriki himself. He really needed to see if the book stated anything about that. Or even better, get the chance to confront Naruto about it… though, seeing as he was away, that had to wait. Sai might know, but from all the reactions from people so far, he doubted that Sai would offer up that information. And Shikamaru had specifically mentioned something about state secrets in relation with Naruto, so mentioning speculations might get him in trouble, which he certainly didn’t need.

Sai arrived a few minutes later, and for once, he didn’t move in to attack right away. Instead, he settled his backpack on the ground next to where Sasuke had put his towel, and turned around to smile.

“What did you decide?” he asked.

Sasuke needed a moment to recall what Sai meant by the question. “I contacted Sakura. She knows.”

“What did she say?”

“That she needs to discuss it with the team. Haven’t heard from her since.”

“Ah, don’t worry.” Sai said, grinning.

Sasuke doubted Sai had actually been able to read him well enough to make such a comment, but he just let it slide. He rather didn’t want a discussion about worrying, especially not with someone who behaved as weirdly as Sai.

“Let’s spar!” Sasuke said instead, drawing a kunai and throwing it at Sai, who swiftly sidestepped it. They quickly established a good pace and taijutsu was seamlessly infiltrated with elements of ninjutsu, though they both held back on it.

“Where’s the sword?” Sai at once asked.

“Blade broke.”

“How’d you accomplish that?”

“Fought Hoshigaki Kisame with Naruto.”

“I see.”

They continued, each challenging the other, trying not to reveal too many secrets. Sasuke was holding back, fully prepared to lose instead of revealing some techniques, despite Sai knowing which clan he belonged to. One never knew who might be watching.

And therefore, lose he did, eventually. Sai sat down next to his backpack, fully content to take a bit of a break. Sasuke shrugged and sat down next to him.

“Useful storage seals you got there,” Sai was saying, throwing a glance at Sasuke’s arm protectors, then pulling out a block of paper and a pen.

“Indeed.”

“Your brother’s idea?”

“None of your business.”

Sai shrugged and focused on his drawing. Sasuke was glad that Sai didn’t press on the topic. He stared out into the open, thinking about Itachi, and all things related.

Sai had halted and was staring at Sasuke’s clenched hand. “You are agitated; is something the matter?”

“No... Say, how was your mission?” Sasuke redirected, not wanting to get so obviously caught in his own thoughts again.

“It went well…”

“What kinds of missions do you take on solo?”

“Some espionage and infiltration, some surveillance... mostly assassinations.” 

“Do you specialize in assassination?”

“I specialize in many things. Assassination is one of them. What about you, any specialization?”

“Sure, hiding my kekkei genkai,” Sasuke said grimly, thoughts already returning to what Sai had said. Sai was a ninja that specialized in assassination. Itachi had been, too, one of the best. So good that he had managed to kill off an entire clan in one go. And Kakashi had known him. And Sai was a member of Kakashi’s team nowadays.

Was Kakashi’s team focused on assassinations? Naruto didn’t really seem the type, and Sakura didn’t either, though he was sure they both would be able to kill if the situation required it.

“What kind of missions does Team Seven usually do?”

“Hmm, we’ve been couriers and escorts… we generally take on protection services, reconnaissance, retrieval, infiltration…quite a variety.”

“Why does a team like that have two assassins on it?”

“You mean Kakashi? He’s a good team leader, and as for myself, they fell a member short and I was there to fill the spot. I still go on solo assassination missions.”

“Still seems weird to me.”

Sai shrugged. “It’s a good arrangement. Assassinations are not the only type of mission that calls for skills required of assassins. I’m quite suited for a variety of functions, and many assassins act solo anyway. It’s less suspicious if you have one specific target.”

Sasuke looked over at Sai, only to finally catch sight of what Sai was drawing. Now that the thin outlines Sai had drawn with a pencil first were expertly filled out with aquarelle paint, they displayed an older version of a face he knew very well.

Sai had noticed his stare, but calmly kept colouring. “I thought you’d appreciate a current take on your brother’s face. I’ll give this to you as soon as it’s done and dry.”

00300

When they arrived at Suna, things were a mess. It turned out that Kankuro had been poisoned during the attack and the Suna-medics had not been able to counter the poison yet.

Sakura went into full medic mode, completely forgetting about the discussion with Kakashi. She needed to nullify a poison.

She only thought about it again when she had successfully created an antidote. She had been able to create two more shots to take with, but that wasn’t even enough to equip the two of them, much less an entire team. If they could somehow get more of it, it would calm her mind quite a bit.

Quickly, she rose her hand to her neck to activate the connection.

00400

Sasuke was on his way to do the grocery shopping two hours later when he felt the slave seal flare up. 

_ ‘Do you hear me?’ _

Without hesitation, he touched his seal:  _ Yes. _

_ ‘I need you to do something for me.’ _

He felt the urgency, packed with fleeting images of someone unfamiliar laying on a hospital bed, looking pale and sweaty.

_ ‘I need you to go to the Hokage. Kankuro has been poisoned by the attackers that took Gaara. I created an antidote, but it’s not enough for the whole team. She probably already sent out the backup team, too. But just in case they’re still there, or I die on this mission, or we can’t defeat the guy creating this poison, I need you to brief her on it and give her a list of ingredients. Got something to write them down?’ _

Sasuke had already changed course, breaking into a run for the Hokage tower. _ No. Just tell me. _

_ ‘How can you make sure you don’t forget anything? It’s an instruction for an antidote; one single messed up step....’ _

Sasuke let out an irritated huff, but answered anyway:  _ I won’t forget. Anyway, I’m almost at the tower. _

_ ‘Alright. Well, I might as well wait for a moment and dictate to you what to say to Tsunade.’ _

_ I doubt I’ll be cleared to go in quite that fast. Tell me now, I’ll get back to you if need be. _

_ ‘Okay. but seriously, ask me if you’re unsure about something or if anyone else has questions…’ _

She started listing off the ingredients, and when to add which one and how. It was complex, nothing he couldn’t handle, but he could see why she was worried about him mixing it up. He committed it to memory, both, by picturing it written down and by utilizing some memorization techniques that Itachi had taught him in once upon a time in training.

_ Got it. _

He entered the waiting room for an audience with the Hokage and strode to the guards in front of the door to the Hokage’s office. 

“I got an urgent message for the Hokage, concerning the mission Team Seven is currently on.” 

The guards, to give them some credit, didn’t laugh. They only regarded him skeptically. “And you are?” one asked finally.

“Haruno Sakura’s slave. She relayed to me an antidote she wants the backup team to carry.”

The guard squinted his eyes, but finally turned to knock. At a call from inside, he poked his head in. “Lady Hokage, we got someone here claiming to be Haruno Sakura’s slave. He says he received an urgent message for you about some antidote shit a backup team should carry or something.”

The reply was muffled, but it was unmistakably the lady’s voice. “Let him in.” 

The guard shoved him inside, and Sasuke wasted no time stepping forward.

Tsunade impatiently waved for him to start. “What are you waiting for?”

“Sakura told me to relay a message to you. Someone named Kankuro was poisoned by the people who took the Kazekage and she created an antidote. Her supply of ingredients is limited, so she can’t equip everyone in her team with it, much less the back up team. She thought it prudent that you at the very least have the recipe, even if it may be too late for the backup team to carry some. She gave me the instructions.”

“Well, where are they?”

“I can write them down.” 

“Why not, go ahead. Here is paper and a pen.”

She pushed said items in his direction and Sasuke quickly got to it. Tsunade didn’t interrupt, just regarded him with a calculating glint in her eyes.

Sasuke easily recalled what Sakura had said, confident that he hadn’t forgotten anything. Itachi had really drilled this memorization stuff into him. This was easy.

After a few minutes of silence, only permeated by his pen scratching over the paper, he straightened up, handing Tsunade the paper and pen.

“How did she give you her message? How can I be sure this is correct?”

“She ordered me through the slave seal. She also told me to contact her through it should there be any questions.”

“Interesting. Do you know who Kankuro is?”

“No.” 

“Ask Sakura. I want to make sure you’re not lying.”

Sasuke suppressed showing his annoyance and touched the seal, sending out a signal to Sakura. It didn’t take long until she replied.

_ The Hokage wants confirmation that I'm not lying… Who is Kankuro? _

_ ‘Okay, Kankuro is the Kazekage’s older brother.’ _

Sasuke repeated this to the Hokage.

“Tell her that it’s too late for the backup team. Team Guy has already been sent and should be there pretty soon. I also don’t have any means to send additional antidotes to her, tell her she’s on her own with this. Dismissed.”

Tsunade nodded to the door, leaving Sasuke no time to contemplate or do as she asked. Preferring not to do it in the waiting room, he ended up contacting Sakura down the hallway, where there were less people seeing him touch the slave seal. Sakura’s response felt neutral, as if she had expected something like that. She thanked him before severing the connection. There had been a certain urgent undertone in the feelings that accompanied the response, though. He got the distinct impression that she was in a hurry to leave where she was at, which wasn’t surprising, considering they still had to pursue whomever took the Kazekage.

Sasuke wondered if Naruto and the rest of the team had waited for her or if they had gone ahead. He hadn’t gotten around to asking. 

00500

Chiyo, an old woman, had replaced Temari on the rescue team. She apparently knew one of the Akatsuki’s members, the one who had attacked Kankuro, claiming that it was her grandson.They’d taken off with a piece of clothing that Kankuro had been able to procure during the attack, and were tracking Gaara’s location through it.

As expected, they ran into trouble. This trouble came in the form of one person standing in their way, body hidden under an Akatsuki cloak featuring a high collar and a jingasa hat with tassles that obscured the face. There was a telltale bulge below the fabric of the cloak that suggested that the man carried a sword. He raised a hand, pointing at Naruto. “Jinchuuriki, how nice that they’re sending you,” he said in a deep, cold voice.

Kakashi attacked. Getting close, he could recognize a stripe pattern made by facepaint. He had mistaken it for a shadow play the hat’s tassels might’ve thrown on the face. The white base successfully blended facial features such as the form of the nose, lips, eyebrows and eye shape. Five black stripes sprouted from right below the inner corner of the eyes to across the cheek in rays, leaving the middle of the face, namely the lips, nose, chin and the middle of the forehead in a blank white. They extended over the jawline and continued down the neck some, where they eventually faded out. The same pattern extended from the inner corner of the eyebrows, leaving the shape of the eye unenhanced and open for speculation. 

Kakashi recognized the description just as his fist was captured by a hand and a second figure (a clone?) rushed past them, quickly closing in on Naruto. He’d heard of this man. A phantom, considered highly dangerous, origin and identity unknown. Where he appeared, bloodshed often followed, though those who survived an encounter had claimed to be knocked out.

The man grabbed him, pulling him close, whispering in a low tone. “Ah, the Copycat Ninja, Kakashi of the Hidden Leaf. We meet again.”

“And to whom do I owe the pleasure?” Kakashi replied, winding out of the grasp and shifting into another stance.

The man only smiled. Kakashi would have described it as gentle, had there not been that dangerous glint in those dark irises. Kakashi gave out orders without turning his eyes away from the enemy, then moved.

00600 

When Sasuke finally returned home, he felt Shikamaru's presence in the living room.

“What are you doing here?” he demanded, stalking in. 

“You got a mission tomorrow.” Shikamaru held out a scroll. “Sai will be the mission leader.”

A bit dumbfounded, Sasuke took the mission scroll.

"And here's money for groceries. Well then, I’ll excuse myself. You’re all set. Go prepared.”

Shikamaru let himself out.

Sasuke sat down, opening the mission scroll. It was an undercover mission in some establishments, where they were supposed to infiltrate and figure out if there was any unapproved activity going on. If they suspected something, they were supposed to shadow the people in question.

00700

Sakura followed Kakashi's fight with her eyes. His opponent was strong, that much was obvious. He met Kakashi's skill easily and kept him on his toes.

As the fight raged on, Sakura watched intently, mesmerized. Still, she kept an eye on the version (was it a clone?) that was still standing where they’d first seen him, like an ominous guard. He didn’t attack, and it briefly crossed her mind that maybe the man was trying to wear them down one by one and that they should all be fighting together.

When it got to the point where Kakashi uncovered his Sharingan, Naruto was mumbling something and Sakura turned around to the rest of the team, finally noticing Naruto's frozen state. The alarm bells rang…

_ Genjutsu _ .

She touched Naruto's shoulder and tried to disrupt his Chakra flow, but it didn't seem to be enough. Chiyo, also hearing Naruto’s mumble, clued in, too, and turned to help pour chakra into his body.

A shudder went through Naruto. He took a deep breath, and shuddered again. Sakura briefly thought that he looked a bit pale, but Naruto seemed to recover quickly. "Don't look at his eyes!" he shouted.

With Naruto back in the fight, things picked up. The man, however, was really skilled, and it was hard to gain ground. The man was a Genjutsu master, that much was clear. He was proficient at hand-to-hand combat and Kenjutsu, too, though, and had used quite a bit of Ninjutsu. They were losing precious time and energy.

Chiyo held back. Being the new team member, and therefore still unfamiliar with their teamwork, it made sense. They couldn't afford things to not run smoothly. Still, more help from someone as skilled as Chiyo would have been great right then. Sakura, as healer, was always more in the back, while Naruto and Kakashi teamed up in front. She was surprised that the man didn't send another shadow clone after them. He certainly seemed strong enough to spare the energy and make enough clones to separate the team for one-on-one fights. It would have made sense to do so, too, since teamwork was what made them strong, yet he didn’t try to divide them up. In any case, she hoped the fight wouldn't be drawn out too long; Kakashi's Sharingan was still quite draining for him.

She had to jump away as a powerful fire release came at her. It looked like a wind release that had been sent directly after was further mingling with it. The fire spread and lit some trees on fire. She saw Kakashi sail through the air, kunai in hand.

The blade of a katana slipped past it and Kakashi barely evaded, hurling the kunai towards the man, who took a step back. It all had happened in merely a second or two, and Sakura turned back to the shadow copy that Naruto was currently fighting and barely holding his own against. They had to eliminate at least one of the two, and quickly. She whistled a cue sequence to Naruto, who gave her a signal that he had heard and was preparing for their combined attack.

00800

There was no question about it. The man was very adept at figuring out Kakashi’s strategies. And the weird thing was, he was way too prepared to fight a Sharingan: hiding his hand movements and always moved into his Sharingan’s blind spots. Kakashi just couldn’t anticipate the man’s movements as well with his own eye.

Hand-to-hand combat kept being switched up with long- and middle-range Ninjutsu. Fire Release was a prominent feature, often combined with other nature transformations. The man was drawing out the fight.

Right now, Kakashi was parrying the other’s katana. The opponent’s form was so clean and efficient that he barely dodged his jabs in time. The next swing came in rapid succession, a thin stream of fire out of the mouth accompanying it. He hadn't seen the hand seals. Kakashi ducked out of the way, stabbed and hit. The sound of bird wings resounded quickly as the man dismembered into a flock of crows. 

Kakashi sliced the air with wind, but the crows easily slipped past the technique and came straight for him, past him, rearranging into the semblance of his opponent a few meters behind him.

The katana sliced through the air with devastating wind-style power. Kakashi returned the favor with water. A few minutes later, the katana was just shy of slicing his clothes again and Kakashi had the weirdest sense of deja vu. This sequence was executed faster and arranged differently to fit the situation, but the style was nearly the same...

_ Tatakai _ .

Kakashi remembered Tatakai’s tip to an alternative move, swiftly shifting that way. He hadn't fought Tatakai enough to predict it, but it took a tiny bit off the edge. The crow trick was a nasty thing, though, more than making up for it.

Now that he had touched upon the similarities in fighting style, they started to stand out more and more. But this version reminded him even stronger of whom Tatakai had reminded him of. It still wasn't exactly the same style that the late Uchiha Itachi had employed. But now, Kakashi could have sworn that the forms were based on the basics of the Uchiha Clan's style.

He parried another fire jutsu, this one coupled with wind. Fire, a strong trait of the Uchiha clan as well, though the trademark jutsu were absent. He'd ruled out the possibility of Uchiha survivors before, but the similarities were becoming too apparent, too obvious. Could it really be? Was this Tatakai's brother? Were they Uchiha? And why did something feel off about the man? Something he couldn’t quite pinpoint...

Naruto whistled a signal. Finally! Kakashi employed a wind technique. The last katon jutsu had burned the surroundings and dried out the ground; a dust cloud would be easy to make. He quickly made a shadow clone.

His plan worked, and it didn’t work at the same time. He should have predicted the other dissolving into crows again when Naruto hit him with a Rasengan. The man unleashed a Dragon Fire just as he reformed.

Still, at that point, though there was no way to have predicted it, the fight was nearly at an end. Just as the Dragon Fire technique dissipated and Kakashi climbed out of the hole he’d hidden in, he saw that the man was staggering. He watched as his opponent fell to his knees, breathing hard. He couldn’t really see the expression below the paint and tassels of the hat. Kakashi quickly focused his energy for a long range attack, just as the man swayed once more and then fell to the side.

Kakashi didn’t want to risk deceit (even though the man looked out of energy and pretty vulnerable all of a sudden), so he finished his technique and watched as it hit the body.

No crows this time, just twitching, then stillness.

The others gathered behind Kakashi as he approached the still form. Was this real? Had he really collapsed? He had to know… had to know who… who this had been.

He stepped up, carefully scanning the surroundings for any deceit, but his instincts told him that the moment was over. He knelt down and pulled the body to it’s back.

The man’s body was dead weight. The white of the eyes was showing. Kakashi pulled the hat away, still cautious. The others stepped up and Sakura knelt down, applying an examination technique.

“Dead.”

Couldn’t be, could it? The man had seemed way too powerful to go down just like this! But he had. And the clothes and face paint, though a bit worse for the wear, were there and complete, which ruled out a body switching technique. That left him to assume that this was indeed the man they had fought, even though he still had a strange feeling of unease about that.

The face paint made easy recognition impossible; the white base with those black stripes were aligned expertly to change perception of the face. It was oil based paint, not easily washed off, and they lacked the time to do any tests for identification. He itched to at least confirm if this had indeed been an Uchiha. But again, they lacked the time.

Just that moment Chiyo took word. “I’ll seal the corpse into a scroll. Suna will want to identify him.” She moved to do so quickly. “Let’s go, we’ve lost enough time already.”

Right, since this was Suna’s mission, and he couldn’t prove that this was an Uchiha and therefore one of the Leaf, Suna should probably take the body. To be honest, he wasn’t sure himself. Seeing how well the guy handled the Sharingan, he could have merely based the style off the Uchiha clan just as well. The only thing he was certain about was that he’d been Tatakai’s teacher, and that Tatakai had, at the very least, had a run in with the Uchiha.

They were back to fast travel, and Kakashi’s thoughts once again got caught up in the matter he couldn’t push away. So many things pointed at Tatakai being an Uchiha, but he couldn’t allow himself to lose focus on the mission now. He wasn’t allowed to think, yet thoughts kept worming their way into his mind even so.

The man had said: “We meet again!” He’d just killed said man. The man that had most likely been Tatakai’s teacher… possibly his brother. They might be Uchiha. The man was dead. Dead… could it be, really? But Sakura had confirmed it; the soul had left the body, the heart had stopped beating. Had he known him? It’d been hard to tell with all that paint, but would he have recognized the face? Had there been a dual meaning to it all? Hadn’t there been something awry? Anything?

But, most importantly…

Would he really have to bring this news to Tatakai? That his brother might be dead?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> That's it... we're caught up with what I have written of this story so far. Now, I'd be really really glad to get some feedback. I already started with the next chapter, but got stuck multiple times while writing on it lately, therefore it will probably be a while until I'm finished and ready to post again.  
If you want to help me with the writing process, motivate me... discussions on the story would really help a ton!
> 
> Please let me know what you think!


	14. A Mission with Sai

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A big thanks goes to WriterofGotham for your reviews, it means a lot to me.  
Also thanks to all of those who left Kudos and bookmarked it. It makes me happy to see that this story is being read by people.
> 
> Thanks to the wonderful HailZuko89 from FFnet who beta'ed this chapter. I appreciate the discussions, your suggestions, improvements and your support in general. You really make a difference!

Sai had sought him out to discuss strategies for their mission and Sasuke wasn’t exactly pleased with the concept. After all, light changes in appearance could mean anything for an artist like Sai. To make matters worse, Sai had requested he wear something  casual , at which point Sasuke had reminded Sai that he hadn’t the need for anything like that so far. Much to his dismay, Sai assured him that he’d take care of it. His attempts to get Sai to clarify exactly what that meant ended in that stupid smile and an assurance that he wouldn’t have to wear girl clothing. Which didn’t help any.

At least he’d have a break from the weird guy for a couple of hours before mission preparation. He used the time to hone his chakra control and prepare mentally. Namely, crafting a fake persona based on the instructions given to him. At the same time he wondered how Sai would get his act together. He just didn’t seem the type to get an act across as natural.

00100

Sai, meanwhile, was shopping, and there was this spark of... he couldn’t name it. It was a feeling, and it reminded him of free time with an empty canvas and an idea. It reminded him of the gleam in Naruto’s eyes when he was expecting ramen, or a Sakura that had just unlocked some medical mystery. Now he too had it at the prospect of having a reason to take influence on someone’s dressing choices. It was a faint thing, moving from his belly to his limbs, energizing. He was ready for this challenge. 

He suspected that the Uchiha wouldn’t be overly thrilled (he certainly hadn’t been when they’d discussed it, nor had he appreciated the effort), but Sai was determined to give it his best anyway. He also didn’t get many chances to create such a makeover for himself. After all, his usual dress code was ruled by practicality, much like the Uchiha’s seemed to be.

He doubted that Tatakai would appreciate his efforts, especially because he didn’t seem to care about looks and seemed to be annoyed at anything that he deemed unnecessary. But Sai’s artistic side relished the opportunity to give aesthetics equal thought for once. It would be interesting to let such demands influence his pickings, though he wouldn’t let them rule over it. At least, not totally.

As he entered the Ninja store, one specializing in weapon concealment, he thoughts turned to the mission overview as he began to look through the selections.

Overlooking the arguments about appearance, the briefing had gone by without a hitch. Sai had informed Tatakai of the concept they’d  _ act  _ according to, _ acting _ being the key word, as that was what they’d do. Tatakai hadn’t seemed overly bothered, he’d even seemed confident.

Of course, they didn’t let him know that the mission’s goal wasn’t what it claimed to be up front. That it, in fact, was further testing of Tatakai’s skill set and habits rather than a real mission. Well, it was a mission alright, but not for Tatakai. It was for Sai and Shikamaru to figure out how he handled different situations (revealing his strategies), and how well and consistent he could pretend (discern his lies from the truth), how he handled pressure (keep up with mission expectations and lack of progress) and distraction (Sakura’s mission).

Plus, Sai was going to study how the Uchiha interpreted the set of instructions on characteristics he was to display. It would be most interesting to see the emotional responses. He knew he had a lot to learn.

Shikamaru had reviewed the social aspects of the assignment. Together they had created not only a fake mission, but also a fake relationship and backstory of two fictional friends and pointers for discreet changes in personality and mannerism to become them. Sai was most curious what the Uchiha would do with these instructions. Sai considered himself passable at this kind of infiltration, but it was not the thing he excelled at, so it would be good to see someone else have a go at such instructions. And the mission was safe enough to allow discrepancies and minor mess ups, it being within Konoha and all. It would be the perfect learning field for both of them.

The ideas for this "mission" had then been brought to Tsunade and she’d given her blessing. If they so happened to track and possibly stop some unapproved activity, then all the better... 

Sai thought back on when he’d sat down with Tatakai to discuss the necessary preparations. The Uchiha had taken Sai’s instructions with barely a hint of emotion, with exception of the visual compounds that had been met with mistrust and a hint of dread, or so he’d deciphered. Sai didn’t know what to expect.

It should give insight into their charge’s mind, however: How he reacted to half-spontaneous situations and how consistent he was with handling details during the act.

Something else was keeping Sai’s mind busy, too though. This official mission would give him some ample time to spend with and observe the Uchiha. It was time to start focusing on  _ that  _ little _ side-mission _ the brother had given him, find out how far the younger Uchiha had gotten and if needed, find ways to mislead him. It didn’t matter that he’d gotten no order from his  _ superiors _ . He’d seen what book Tatakai had been reading, he knew that Shikamaru had given him hints to find it, he knew that Shikamaru didn’t know yet. And chances were that if this kept up, Tatakai would figure out things before Shikamaru realized what he’d set into motion. It didn’t matter that Sai wasn’t particularly adept at this type of investigation, this kind of manipulation, seeing as it involved too many emotional responses. His skill set would have to do, there was no one else who knew enough.

Sai had found all the items he was searching for and brought them to the counter. He’d go home and pick up some things after this, then he’d head over to Sakura’s. 

00200

Sasuke let Sai in, who had a shopping bag on him in addition to his usual backpack. Sai looked different. Instead of his weird belly-revealing uniform, or the formal clothing he wore when he was in civil, he wore a scarlet dress shirt, sleeves coming down to just above the elbows. It faintly crossed Sasuke’s mind that Sai was always covering the slave seal, and this shirt was no exception to that rule. It displayed artistic swirls and motifs of different animals in black with discrete golden linings. Pants and shoes weren’t standing out as much; both were simply black and comfy-looking. 

He held out the bag that Sasuke suspected held the clothes Sai expected him to wear, and quickly took off his shoes after Sasuke had taken it. Sasuke led him to the kitchen to offer him a glass of water, then took the bag to go change. There was no point in arguing. Itachi had always put the mission before pride, willing to sacrifice comfort in favor of a mission’s success. But he’d also taught him that it was best to change things just enough to throw people off. Changing every detail about oneself was a straining exercise in the long run, and was to be avoided. Sasuke wondered if Sai knew that.

It wasn't as bad as he'd feared. Sai hadn't gotten him a matching outfit. Instead, he’d gotten him several dress shirts and two pairs of trousers. Sasuke settled on a black dress shirt, sleeves again long enough to cover up the slave seal. The midriff portrayed a scene of a shore and cliff, stylized a bit like a woodblock print .

It could have been worse. It would fit into the setting they were supposed to enter, and Sasuke was less bothered by the motive and artistry of it than he would’ve expected. The shirt didn’t show off his body in salacious ways. It wasn’t all that flashy, clearly not meant to attract attention, just underline his presence in the setting as a unique person. Of course not as Sasuke, but as the fictional “Kai”. (Sasuke couldn’t help but think of the irony of sharing the same phonetic sounds to a base technique to combat genjutsu as his name when he was about to create the illusion of said person existing.) In his opinion, whoever had come up with it hadn’t been very creative, as it obviously derived from the name Tatakai, which they knew him by. Another fake character, another illusion, though by now so closely entangled that Sasuke wasn’t exactly sure what was not “him” about it. “Tatakai” had never been about hiding his personality. Its only purpose had been to stay safe and under the radar with his heritage.

When he finally emerged, Sai critically eyed him, then nodded. Sasuke couldn’t quite put his finger on it, but Sai was looking slightly different, just enough to throw him off. It wasn’t only the styled hair; that was obvious. No, there was something off about his face.

“Well, let’s add some finishing touches upon your face and hair, then I’ll show you some tricks with the bracelets.”

Sasuke had protested when Sai had brought a brush towards his face, at which Sai had told him to suck it up and look at him. Apparently, Sai had applied some makeup to his own face, too, making his eyes appear slightly wider, more popping. His jaw, too, seemed more pronounced, and now that Sasuke was paying attention, he realized the eyebrow shape was altered as well, thicker, more angled. The makeup’s purpose wasn’t an attempt to pretty up. It was a carefully applied illusion.

He could see the point of it, even though he didn’t like the idea. Sai didn’t leave him much of a choice, anyway, making it clear that he would not tolerate arguments on his choices as the mission leader. That was how Sasuke ended up with french braids on one side of his head, imitating a sidecut, and his bangs styled to fall over his eyes just so, helped along with hairspray by Sai.

He’d asked why they didn’t use a henge jutsu to do the job, as it would make more sense to be able to quickly switch the henge when shadowing someone, but Sai reminded him that this evening was a trial run, and that it was easier to get into character when consciously dressing up in beforehand. It was also less likely to be detected and unveiled.

Sasuke scoffed at the first part and secretly agreed with the second.

Sai had introduced him to the storage properties of the bracelets, the only physical weapons he’d be able to carry. Then Sai briefly repeated the evenings schedule, what they were looking out for and what to do in which scenario.

Then Sai gave the sign to slip into character, and became “Yuu”. He left through the front door, as they would only meet up at the first pub, just like the old friends they were acting to be.

Sasuke dimmed down his chakra, holding it under wraps on a civilian’s level so as to blend in like he’d done many times before as a kid. The instructions on his character were close to a conceptual character Itachi had made him use before, so he’d adapted that to his current situation. Going into his room to get a pair of socks, his gaze swept over the bed on the other side of the room.

Naruto…

He hadn’t heard from Sakura since yesterday. And annoyingly, the character he was supposed to play would most likely remind him of Naruto, too. This was so stupid. He just hoped that Sai would do a decent job, otherwise this whole thing would end up being endlessly awkward.

He slipped on his shoes and stepped out of the apartment complex, down the path that Sai had told him to take. He needed to focus on the mission now. He couldn’t think of Naruto and Itachi and Akatsuki. He hoped that Sakura would contact him anyway. Not knowing what was happening was causing him agitation in the worst kind of way.

00300

Sasuke entered the tavern, keeping an eye out for Sai, or rather, Yuu, as he’d have to call him now. He found him at the bar, idly twirling a glass of rice wine. Sasuke pushed away all thoughts of how  _ he  _ would never do something like he was about to as himself, and quickly called out “Yuu!” in a Naruto-loud way. Sai turned around, a smirk pulling at his lips. It was better than his ‘friendly’ smile, which was plainly creepy. From what he’d read about Sai’s character Yuu, Sai was supposed to be calm mostly, but quickly rising to a discussion over any subject he knew about (though for some reason he was forbidden to referencing any books), and a fan of action movies.

Sasuke himself was supposed to portray a somewhat loud, outgoing kid that often listened to music and had an opinion on everything.

Their backstory was that they had gone to school together, then Kai’s parents, a trader family, had relocated to Iwagakure, the Village of Stones, and only now returned. They were catching up.

“So, what’s up?” Sasuke asked, grinning widely. It felt strange, but he ignored that when grabbing Sai’s outstretched hand in a handshake, pulling him close to clap his shoulder like he’d seen other guys his age do before.

Sai copied his movements without a hitch, probably familiar with the gesture. “I’m good. Have you settled in alright?”

Sasuke projected an easygoing smile. “Yes. It’s good to be back, though I had a bit of trouble finding the way here. It’s sure changed a lot since I moved away.” 

“We didn’t really go into these parts of the town as kids, either,” Sai said with a wink and a smirk. 

“Yeah, true. So how’s work these days? You never actually mentioned what you do in your letters!” Sasuke asked. They hadn’t even started, but he already thought of it as a challenge to see who would be better in coming up with plausible answers on the spot... 

“I’m an apprentice in fabric printing. Our company’s doing well, though my coworker’s an idiot, always retelling the latest chick-flick. And they’re so stupid and unrealistic.”

“And your action movies aren’t?” Sasuke smirked at the sight of Sai’s eyes going big at his statement. “I’m sure…” he continued, determined to fan the flames, just for the heck of it.

“Action movies are epic. Who cares if they’re exaggerated!” Sai cut him off.

“Chick-flicks are romantic, who cares if they’re exaggerated!” Sasuke imitated in a high pitch.

Sai shook his head and gave him an offended shove, though it came across as almost hesitant. Yeah, Sai’s acting skill was shaky, as expected. Sasuke was almost amused that he hadn’t started resorting to his sexist jokes yet. That was where Sai seemed the most comfortable in real life.

Just then, the waitress came to take Sasuke’s order. Once she was gone, Sai turned to him again. “So Kai, how do you like today’s Konoha?”

“I haven’t been here for more than a few days, and those were pretty filled with meeting up with old business associates. I was hoping you could tell me about all the good sites.”

“ Sure thing, there’s the cinema, and they play “Bakemono no Ko” currently.” Sai obviously tried to keep on his topics, probably having researched them beforehand.

“How about museums?”

“Nah, don’t want you to ruin the calm atmosphere.”

“Why, you haven’t seen me since I was a kid. I calmed down.” Sasuke made an outraged expression, making sure that his voice was a bit louder, just enough to contradict his words and make the whole show believable.

“What have you been up to anyway? You never wrote about any girls, either.”

“Yeah, all boys school, remember?”

“What about that band you played in? What do they do now?”

“They’ll have to do without me, obviously.”

“And you? Don’t you miss it?” Sai’s eyes were comically wide in attempted curiosity. It was kinda funny.

“Well, if you’re so worried about me, why didn’t you recommend a jazz pub then, instead of a cinema?”

They settled into some kind of banter. Sasuke was probably being a bit more sassy than the character description had intended, but Sai was also tagging along with that kind of talk. They probably (hopefully, because what did he know of it) really looked like two guys hanging out to catch up. Sasuke was subtly keeping track of his surroundings, and so was Sai.

Yuu wasn’t as awkward as the real Sai, but he had telltale lapses. It was bound to get annoying. Sasuke wouldn’t be able to cover up all the time, and Sai seemed to have barely any social instincts. Facial reactions seemed to take conscious effort half the time, too. At least the voice was somewhat convincing.

It was by the third pub that Sasuke got fed up with it. They had started a conversation on Iwagakure’s weather of all things. Sasuke, having been there before, of course knew and drew the information from memories. Sai was comically over-the-top with his reactions altogether.

“Yeah, the mountains are tall, no big deal.”

“But aren’t those harsh conditions to live in? You must get a lot of snow.” Sai was overdoing it, eyes ridiculously wide again.

“In the winter, yeah. The trading routes are closed then, so the only people crazy enough to seek us out are ninja.”

“But they’re pretty cool, I mean fighting with swords and chakra, and they’re really strong. They can do anything!”

Sasuke’s eyes swirled, staring into Sai’s.  _ ‘Tone it down! No one shows astonishment like that, not all the time!’ _ Then he squinted his eyes, and leaned back, now using his voice. 

“What are you? Five?” he sneered, just hoping that he’d get things through. Sai was not helping their case.

“ _ Ha Ha, _ ” Sai crossed his arms, “and you don’t need to be so loud.” He smirked, leaning back. 

Sasuke rolled his eyes, ignoring the nuisance that was supposed to lead this mission.

“How’s your sister?”

Sasuke looked up quickly, eyes narrowing. The abrupt change didn’t help with the topic that Sai had picked. Damn him.

“What?! I haven’t seen her in forever, sorry for being interested.”

Sasuke made things up through his teeth. “She’s dead, blood poisoning from a splinter. Happy now?” He’d seen this happen a couple of times in the cages of the slave houses. He couldn’t help but think of Itachi, who had had this weird persistent cough the last time he’d seen him.  _ Sai  _ had also mentioned him coughing after having met him.  _ Sai _ , who dared to ask this question while knowing fully well that he still hadn’t seen his only sibling.

“ Wah, sorry, didn’t mean to step on your toes. I didn’t know, alright?”

At least Sai hadn’t messed up the reaction to this one.

“Well, now you do. Don’t bring her up again.” Sasuke couldn’t be distracted now, even if Sai didn’t have any sensibility for this kinda thing.

“Have you seen Mukoku?”

“No, I haven’t.” Sasuke answered abruptly. He knew he’d messed up, his character was supposed to be open. He’d prided himself in being a decent actor, but all too easily he’d slipped back into old memories, old habits. It had been too long since he’d slipped into a role properly. He should probably try, it wasn’t like his “sister” was real.

“She was gentle,” he said in a thoughtful voice, “always tried to look after me.”

“I’m sorry.” Sai looked repentant. Then, after a moment, he perked up, destroying the atmosphere and his grin was too close to his usual one for Sasuke to be comfortable. “I wanted to ask, where’d you find the shirt? I quite like the craftsmanship.”

Sai hadn’t just asked  _ that _ . No, really, he had. Sasuke shook his head, this was so awkward, and Sai didn’t even seem to realize it.

“A  _ friend _ gave it to me for my birthday.  _ She _ ’s very into style. It’s alright for going out.”

They fell back into silence. This pub seemed just as boring as the others. Something had caught Sasuke’s eye though. He’d only added up the things to the point of it striking him as weird now, though.  There was a chair in the corner, and there seemed nothing special about it at first glance. It was more the quick succession on which people frequented it that had caught his attention. The people would sit down, talk to the barista, order something, get a drink and barely two minutes later, they’d be gone. Sai’s back was towards the corner, so Sasuke used his eyes once more, this time sending a bunch of memories of different people in the same seat to him.

Sai narrowed his eyes and nodded, not turning around. Then, he pressed a finger to one swirl on his chest. It looked almost like he was scratching his chest, fumbling with the shirt or something, but Sasuke knew he was pushing chakra into what he suspected to be Sai’s fighting ink. The swirl moved, forming letters: _Normal._

The letters unfurled again.

Meanwhile, Sai changed the subject once more. “Read anything interesting lately?”

Sasuke subtly kept an eye out on the corner, now idling his fingers with a spoon in the light dish he’d ordered.

“Been brushing up my knowledge on Konoha history, I guess.”

“What did you find?”

There, another person sitting down, the barista coming over again just a minute later. He distractedly answered: “Found some things on the Kyuubi.”

“The nine-tailed fox? That was a terrible attack.”

“Konoha seemed to have recovered quite well. I don’t recall that I noticed much in the years I grew up here.”

“It did. They did a lot of reconstruction, had to move and rebuild some clan compounds on a big scale. But I was just born at that time, so I don’t remember what it looked like.”

“Do you know if they got any old maps? I’d love to look at them; it’d be interesting to see what was changed and figure out why. It must have been an epic battle.”

Epic. The word seemed to misrepresent the gravity of the loss. More like “devastating” or “horrible,” but even those didn’t quite seem to cover it. There was just no word for it. Itachi had recounted to him the basic details of the massacre, but there were still some lingering blanks. He was fully determined to see those maps and understand how Konoha had looked at the time of his birth and how it had changed.

00400

Sai had followed all of Shikamaru’s suggestions. Especially the ones on how he should ask questions to further be able to assess their charge. He’d also been trying to figure out how much Tatakai had figured out about the Uchiha Clan’s past and how to lead him off course. Sai had failed in that regard, as Tatakai had taken the opportunity to ask him for more information. Really, Sai should have expected that one. But at least, if he got him those maps, he could be there and maybe give some (mis)directional input. Sai had read up on the events leading to the Uchiha clan’s demise himself after having met their killer.

There were other facts that he gleaned from their night out, though. Tatakai had a sharp eye for off-patterns. And he had an interesting technique to share his thoughts.

Sai knew that their evening together was coming to a close. They had found something possibly off here, and they needed to get back to Sakura’s to strategize.

He subtly motioned that they’d be leaving. They paid and then said good bye in front of the pub to go their separate ways back to Sakura’s.

When Sai got there, Tatakai was already waiting, drinking a glass of water. He’d taken out the braids of his sidecut imitation and his hair was wiring away in weird angles and locks of waviness. It looked kinda funny.

Tatakai got straight to the point.  “Normal?”

“Yes, you can wait until the waitress comes around, but going to the bar to order is a lot quicker. They prepare your drink there and then, and you can take it back to your own seat.”

"Oh, uh…” It was obvious that Tatakai had no clue about pubs, or how to proceed. A moment later, he harrumphed and changed the subject “ … meet me in the afternoon for some training at the Hokage Monument, will you."

It wasn't a request.

00500

The lack of news was unnerving. It had been more than a day since Sakura had him go to Tsunade. More than a day since he’d last heard from them. He lay awake in bed. The early morning hours had been restless. Apparently, Sakura didn’t intend to send regular reports, and while the mission had helped somewhat to distract him, it hadn’t helped him sleep easier.

They quite possibly had hit the area of conflict... Still, he didn’t do well with being cut off…

Annoyed at his inability to push the matter aside, he got up and went for a run. Then, upon returning, he rummaged through Naruto’s belongings in order to try to find the camera he had thought he’d seen in the other boy’s stuff. He’d put together a plan on how to get Sai to ‘act’,  _ well _ ... more normally. For that, he needed to take on the unpleasant task of taking selfies of different expressions.

00600

“Report.”

Sai was standing in front of Shikamaru. Shikamaru had been listening to their conversation through a bug they had placed on Sai, as he was their back-up. The third member of the team.

"He did alright. He's really good with changing his posture and hand movements. He's definitely trained in this sort of thing. Also, he's got this telepathic communication with eye contact. He could share his visual memories of a corner that he considers suspicious. I don’t think he has much experience with pubs and similar settings."

"That’s not surprising. He’s been made a slave in his early teens, and I doubt his brother took him drinking much before that."

"He wants to meet up for training."

"Uhum."

"He wants that map."

"Sure, probably in the archives."

"I'll see what I can do.”

"If that will be all?"

That map and the possible conclusions that could be drawn from it left Sai with an uneasy feeling. He was lucky that the subject had come up under his watch and that, if he brought Tatakai what he wanted, he could also discuss it with him and keep an eye on how Tatakai's view on Konoha was affected. He knew that now that Uchiha had gotten the idea, he’d search until he found something. This was the reason why he’d rather be a step ahead and provide that map for him in a controlled environment rather than have him look it up and draw conclusions on his own. It was why he was walking through Konoha’s non-classified archives this morning, in the hopes of finding such a map if it existed, and he was fairly sure it did.

Indeed, in the end he had found what he wanted and successfully made a copy that he could take with him. He concluded that he’d eat a quick lunch, and then go meet Tatakai at the Hokage Monument.

00700

When Sai arrived at their designated spot, he found Sasuke sitting in the shade with several pictures of himself spread out before him. After motioning Sai to sit down, he instructed him to try to name the emotions displayed, then try to mimic them in front of a mirror, and after that, draw them.

It was a difficult task for Sai at first, because Sasuke’s pictures didn’t show emotions in their full blown or exaggerated appearance. Rather, he’d been trying to capture the emotions that one would display in a normal conversation instead of a full on emotional display.

Sai had an extraordinary visual memory. Not quite on the level of photographic memory like Sasuke had, but close… So, once he had successfully named the emotions, he remembered them quite easily. Applying it to his own facial muscles proved the next challenge. He was starting to get the hang of it after a while, though, which was the point when Sasuke told him to start capturing his own face displaying those emotions in drawings, so he’d remember and have an easier time replicating them without help in the future.

A furrowed brow here, twitch of lips there, slightly widened eyes or wrinkled nose… The change in expression was minimal sometimes. Sasuke had  nicked  Sakura's hand mirror from the bathroom so Sai could compare his facial expressions to Sasuke's pictures. 

Sai was also quick in drawing his own in between, during which Sasuke ran through some kata and a mock fight. After that they went to Sakura's again, with another two hours to kill.

Once they had settled down in the living room Sai spoke up, grabbing his copy of the old map as well as a recent one. "I got the maps."

Sasuke had perked up and Sai could now clearly see the curiosity and interest in his face, though he also noticed that Sasuke's body language spoke louder, making a mental note to later request a review on that, too.

Sasuke had laid out the older map and was studying it. Sai knew that he was looking at the smattering of houses that were spread across the city, all represented by the Uchiha fan, the clan’s crest. Sai also took note of the shift toward the police department close to the center, and the plot of earth and houses that had later become the Uchiha clan compound.

Sasuke mumble d, " There was no Uchiha compound back then."

"It appears not."

"We used to live within the core of the city. I... didn't know." Tatakai’s voice was muted. Sai recognized the expression as either thoughtful or sad, he wasn’t sure which.

Sai had already prepared for that assessment, so the response came easily. "Maybe they pulled families together to live within their clans during the reconstruction of the city."

Sasuke nodded absentmindedly and pulled over the recent map, looking at it for a couple of minutes. “None of the other clans that were spread out moved into a compound.”

“Maybe your family requested the change.”

“Maybe…” He pulled the old map close again, turning back to studying that one, lips pressed to a thin line. He looked grim all of a sudden, then he blinked a few times, swallowed and rolled up the map. “May I keep this?”

“It’s a copy. I don’t really need it back right now.” Sai didn’t want to say that he could keep it exclusively, but he didn’t really want to take it away, either.

“Thanks... you know, for finding me a map.” Sasuke’s voice sounded just a tiny bit raw. “Let’s prepare for the mission,” he said a moment later, voice steadier.

00800

They had changed, hair and makeup done, and were again leaving the house at different times and through different routes . They settled on a free central table from where they’d have a good overview on most everything.

Sai was doing better with facial expressions this time, and Sasuke felt more at ease because of it. He was calmly conversing with Sai about the most random things, steering clear of any possibly sore topics. 

Just as they had the night before, they went to two other pubs.  There didn’t seem to be anything weird going on there, however, and they had to call it a night without having found anything. They agreed to meet up for training and strategizing again the next day.

Sasuke, meanwhile, was becoming more and more agitated. He still hadn’t heard from Sakura, but he knew it was too risky to activate the seal. To distract himself, he focused on teaching Sai. Sai was also the one who got the brunt of Sasuke’s mood. Luckily he wasn’t really bothered by it and they got along well enough to work.

00900

“So I hear you’re teaching Sai now.”

Shikamaru had shown up unannounced at Sakura’s apartment again.

“What are you doing here?”

“Checking up on you, obviously, though I wonder why I bothered.”

Sasuke suppressed the urge to roll his eyes. “What do you want?”

“I read Sai’s status reports. You’re teaching him now.”

“His acting skills are shit.”

“Not gonna comment on that.”

The awkward silence that followed only raised Sasuke’s impatience. There still was no word from Sakura, and today he’d suddenly started wondering if he’d feel it through the seal if she died.

The seal only ever reacted if his owner pushed chakra into their seal. Today’s contemplations had started to tear at concepts he’d considered true and unmoving before. Would he feel if he was released from slavery through Sakura’s death? (Was that even how the seal worked?) Even more unsettling was that he wasn’t sure how to feel about that possibility. In the past, he’d always imagined an owner dying as his hope. It hadn’t happened, mostly because the seal shut him down whenever his thoughts went towards intending to harm his owner, so he’d scared them off instead.

But now, he really wanted to know what was happening to her. Naruto was the only connection to his brother that had shown promise, and  _ she  _ was there while he was not. And they could be fighting and dying at any moment and he’d be stuck here under Shikamaru’s misleadingly uninterested gaze.

Shikamaru, who pissed him off, but who last time had finally given him some kind of hint to crack. Some clue that could be hunted down.

“Well, as nice as this is, since you don’t have any questions, I guess I’ll be on my way.” Shikamaru shifted from the sofa. “By the way, interesting literature you’ve got there.”

00000

Sasuke had some time to kill. Seeing the map had given him an idea, and right now, any distraction was a welcome one. Though, he would have gone even if he hadn't needed one. He was on his way to visit the street where the Uchiha Clan police headquarters had been. The map had brought it to his attention, and he knew at least that one building had been rebuilt at its old place after the Kyuubi's attack. He wanted to know what had become of it with the Uchiha Clan gone.

He knew what it had looked like, having been there as a child. And the map said it should be just around the next corner.

It was the same building. He searched for the Uchihas’ fan in vain. Instead there were characters lined down, informing the person that this was  _ Konoha’s Economy Administration Office _ .

There was no sign that this had ever been Konoha’s police department, much less a headquarters led by the Uchiha. In fact, a plaque at the door described that this had been renovated so the Konoha Economy Administration Office could move in, as they had expanded and needed more space. There was no mention of what this building had been before, and it made Sasuke furious. 

Sai bore the brunt of it, both in mission prep time and the discussion after. Sasuke had a hard time keeping the act up during the mission as well and only years of practice in pushing thoughts away to focus on an assigned task kept him from messing up too badly. 

It was to no real surprise therefore when he once more was approached by Shikamaru the next day to talk about Sai's report and his behavior.

"Sai says you're angry."

"So? I did the mission fine so far."

"If Sai recognizes an emotion, it must be pretty obvious…"

"I've been teaching him."

Sasuke crossed his arms, absolutely not in the mood for an interrogation, but this time, Shikamaru didn't back down.

"That's great, but no reason for you to give him a hard time. If you can't control yourself, we will take you off the mission."

"I'm doing my job. It's not my fault if we don't turn up with anything."

“I don’t think this stems from frustration of not getting any results. I know you’re not the most patient, but I know you have more patience and understanding of the work of a shinobi than that. You better get it out of your system before it blows up in your face, for real.”

Sasuke bit back a sarcastic comment. “Hn.”

“Either way, Sai doesn’t deserve you giving him a hard time. I’m not saying you should suppress all your feelings, but it is interfering with your work, which in our profession is not acceptable.”

“So, what do you want me to do? Take a break, wait it out?” Sasuke sneered.

“Talking about what bothers you might help. Ever tried that?”

“No.” It could have been either refusal or affirmation. Or both. The guy had never been very forthcoming. 

“You know what will happen if we deem you unfit to stay on this mission? I’m telling you, it won’t stop in taking you off this mission. It’s a whole rat’s tail that will follow and once that happens, you can forget attending Team Seven’s missions with Naruto for a long long while. I won’t be able to get you out of that mess.”

Shikamaru leaned back against the wall behind Naruto’s bed. Sasuke was observing him with narrowed eyes, biting his lips as Shikamaru continued.

“Also, just so you know, I’m soon due to write an assessment on your psyche. I’ll be the one determining if you’d be fit for doing higher-ranking missions and leaving Konoha to attend them… and up till now you haven’t been cooperative. And just because you need to convince Kakashi and Sakura doesn’t mean that the official administration processes can just be skipped if you do.”

“And you’re only now informing me of this?! How come I was allowed to do any missions at all?”

“Easy, I vouched for you. I wanted to see how you'd act. I gave you a chance to show your skill-set and it gave me a chance to assess it. That includes motivations, teamwork, and emotional stability in, both, uncertain situations and under pressure. How you conduct yourself during this will determine your future as an active shinobi.”

“Alright, got it. I need to pull myself together. I can do it.”

“That won’t do. I won’t know if you just suppress and bottle things up if you do that. And then, what if something really sets you off? What I’m saying is that you need to find a way to stabilize and balance yourself, and that it would do you good to include me in some way because I’m the one assessing you.”Shikamaru had sat back up and was now sitting quite attentively, though still in his usual slouchy way, and therefore seemed deceptively unthreatening. “You’ve been acting more unstable lately. And I’m beginning to think that you can’t handle the uncertainty of Team Seven’s fate while they are out on missions.”

“I can.”

"Then what had you so pissy yesterday?"

"Urgh…" Sasuke was visibly struggling to answer. He grit his teeth, before finally letting a frustrated sigh escape his lips. "I went to see what happened to the police department. It's been stripped of anything related to the Uchiha, their service and what happened. Instead it now holds 'Konoha's Economics Administration Office'." He spat the last part.

"So you're angry because they don't get the recognition they should have… I see. Well. I can give you a couple of reasons why they did that, if you're willing to listen."

"Hn." The sound was more of an unwilling grunt than anything else.

The Nara took it as a yes anyway. "The Uchiha Police Department building is located right at the core of Konoha. The Uchiha on duty there were also murdered on the day the rest of the clan got massacred. Instead of building a memorial right in the center, where people should feel safe, they chose to build one in the Uchiha Clan compound only, and renamed the building. They did this to erase the memory of the fact that Konoha couldn't prevent this from happening right under their noses. It would have done no good to the citizens mentality to have a reminder right there in the very center of the city."

Sasuke looked grim, but he didn't say anything. They sat quietly for a few minutes, until Sasuke got fed up with it.

"So what else?"

"The massacre...”

Sasuke’s eyes widened ever so slightly.

Shikamaru continued with a gentle voice. “Have you ever tried talking about it with someone else?”

Lips pressed together, eyes narrowed and looking away, he was holding back a bitter chuckle. "It's not like talking brings them back." 

"No, it won't, but it might give you some peace of mind."

"It didn't," he snapped.

They fell back into silence, and this time it felt even heavier. Sasuke looked out of the window, gritting his teeth. “Why do we need to talk about this anyway? We both know what happened: My clan got murdered and my brother and I fled. It's done. It's over. The end."

"I'm sure you know what happened. I, on the other hand, can only guess. We are talking about it because I need to know how it affected you, and how being back here will affect you. You're researching the Uchiha, Konoha's politics, cartography, history, anything related to them. And I think it is linked back to the massacre."

"So you got me all figured out. Great job. You know with whom I talked about it? Huh? My family's murderer. I asked him why. I asked him fucking why and I never got an answer!" Now that he had started talking, more words came. "You know, it's kinda ironic; I might know the details, but really, it doesn’t make much difference. I know no more than you do about the why!”

Shikamaru recognized the raw emotion in Sasuke's face and posture. He had started to crack open and he was probably right about them knowing equally little, though Shikamaru had the uncomfortable suspicion that he had the rough picture whilst Sasuke only had the colours. Now that he was starting to acknowledge and spill them, it was starting to take shapes in ways that were worrisomely fitting into what Shikamaru had been starting to suspect during his research.

Still, there were many details he had to get or confirm to really figure this out, and extracting information was a walk on the rope with this guy. Shikamaru had conducted his prodding very carefully. He'd gotten Sasuke close to edge with his emotions. He'd asked questions, listed consequences and, unlike all the times before, he was demanding and not relenting. It was time to get some answers.

“So you know him, their killer!?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hi, so my beta had suggested to shorten the dialogue with Sai because it wasn't exactly relevant to the storyline, though it was building up their alternative characters. I hope those scenes didn't bore you, I thought there was a bit of humor sprinkled into them and that's part of why I didn't want to shorten them. Also, since this story has not been gaining much attention anyway, I decided not to care and just see what happens. Feedback on that would be nice, though.
> 
> I know this chapter wasn't the most tension filled, I really wanted to separate it from the happenings in Team 7 to portray how cut off Sasuke feels. I feel like it's not evident enough and a struggle to write. I think my favorite part of the chapter was the Scene with Shikamaru. I think the next few chapters are gonna be a challenge to write because keeping track of how much each of the characters already know, while they continue to figure out more and more, is hard, and I also have to keep in mind who had which sources, but I guess that's what's making this story fun to write for me. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed it so far and take care in these troubled times! Update's on the progress, as always, on my profile.
> 
> Reviews would make my day!


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